- Location
- USA
Also of note our Marks continue to fall so additional docks for more income there would not be amiss, it is our lowest resource right now and something that can quickly be spent with expeditions.
The Old World: Dark Age of the Empire
- Thread starter Warkeymon
- Start date
- Fantasy
- Location
- Texas
Yeah. Im thinking either kitchen or Quinnsberry.
Kitchen Advantages
More Aid for the poor and hungry
Halfling version of Shyalla gets more power in our city.
Lodge Advantages
Empire spanning network
Halfling ancestor gods.
Maybe asset for our intelligence apperatus.
Kitchen Advantages
More Aid for the poor and hungry
Halfling version of Shyalla gets more power in our city.
Lodge Advantages
Empire spanning network
Halfling ancestor gods.
Maybe asset for our intelligence apperatus.
I think now is the time to invest dice in offensive foreign intelligence operations to Salvanyna. With tension this high, we could have an actual war in our hands and not knowing anything about the potential adversary we're facing would be foolish. Plus the meeting going on at the imperial palace could reveal more about Vlads plans, and the von Carstians being too pre-occupied to attend the Wolf Emperor's ball means they're attempting something big (potentially downright vampiric) that we could potentially get a glimpse of, making any intelligence operations we conduct in Salvanyna be well placed to have synergy with other actions taking place. If we negotiate with the Ranaldians to gain access to their agents for these potential operations, then that'd be the cherry on top that could potentially allow us to survive the coming vampire war.
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What kinds of networks would we have access to if we go to the lodge? Are they diplomatic contacts to other halfling places around the empire or just purely to the Moot? Can we use these contacts in the Mootland as a potential forward operating base for any potential offensive intelligence operations into Salvayna?
Okay but we were the ones that went off to meet her in the first place. Like yeah the action failed, but we had the choice of still courting her favour and also well–
–Upholding Sigmarite supremacy on the Empire and snubbing the Pantheonic/Family of Gods traditions is terrible for someone who is not a Sigmar worshipper and have (some Questers with) plans to at least co-opt the Ranaldians at least a little bit. Had we not actually courted her we would have likely gotten an abstain vote choice but as it was and as it is now with Reikland at -96 Relations and Talabecland at -2, we sort of torpedo'd chances of meeting halfway amiably with the Ottillan Empress.
Are the Ranaldians gonna go anyway or are we going to need to make a write-in to allow them in? Better for them to piss inside the tent than outside, proverbially. If we do need one, then I am adding the write-in on the Ranald Negotiation.
For the plan though:
[X] Diplomacy Aplenty for War Preperations
-[X] Diplomacy: 5 Dices
-[X] Engage with a Neighbour (Engineering School of Miragliano — Leonardo di Miragliano) Cost: 1,000 Marks per Die Must Beat: 100 2 Dices
--[X] Opening a discussion on sharing/buying blueprints or research metholodogies to one another. Use the Dry Compass, Gypsum Fertilizer, and our failed flintlock research as a feeler. Show willingness to fund and patronize di Miragliano for specific researches if need be.
-[X] We do Negotiate with Ranaldians. Cost 200 Marks per Die Must Beat: 150 3 Dices
--[X] As a starting icebreaker, Invite them in discreetly to the Iron Tower. State that whatever is the outcome for that meeting, keep the peace together until the chaotic threat (or whatever threat Van Hal has to say) has passed.
-[X] Stewardship: 3 Dices
-[X] Roadwarden South Cost: 600 Marks, 200 Materials, 500 Food per Die Required Effort: 132/150 1 Dice
-[X] Ironside Scholarship Program Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Food per Die Must Beat: 100 1 Dice
-[X] Riverine Docks (Mauchen) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die Effort Required: 0/100 1 Dice
-[X] Intrigue: 1 Dice
-[X] Assault Threat (Murderous Cadaver Merchant - Arrest) Cost: 400 Marks and 40 Materials per Die Must Beat: 100 1 Dice
-[X] Learning: 1 Dice
-[X] Develop the Gimbal Compass Cost: 800 Marks and 50 Materials per Die Must Beat: 100 1 Dice
-[X] Stirland Crisis: 1 Dice [Locked]
-[X] The Stirland Crisis Must Beat: 50 1 Dice
-[X] A Long Siege
-[X] The Imperial Palace
-[X] The Grand Count's Grand Kitchen
Total Costs: 6400 Marks, 700 Food, and 290 Materials
The rationale is simple, Kitchen synergizes well with our attempt to court the Ranaldians, a sign of amity and public works patronage. In the same vein as having Quinnsberry Lodges, this gets us an in with the very infamously proscribed Ranaldians. If our Spy-Mistress have an in with Khainites of all people, then we should have no problems actually doing some form of business with the adherents of thievery. Of course, we also need to be in the Nuln and delay the war. The longer it goes the better.
Learning? Learning's good. We need Leonardo to start cooperating and if possible, get either dice modifier bonus or just flat out have him build weapons of war. Preferably anti-horde ones for the upcoming Vampire Wars. But as is, seaworthy compasses are absolutely something we can sell to people. More Marks for the coffers from there. That one is an autosuccess with the amount of modifiers we have, I am reading it right.
Equally auto success is dealing with the Cadaver Merchant. There is of course something to be said about actually studying the bodies to advance medical science but uh, this is not the right time to have that as a political topic. Not when Vlad is looming.
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- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Diplomacy Aplenty for War Preperations
- Location
- Germany
I'm very much against a long siege.
Wurtbad is, as far as I remember, the biggest town/city in Stirland and it is economically important.
Shelling and starving the city for a year, while not nearly as devastating as with modern guns, is still going to be devastating.
If we want Stirland to recover after this, to be any kind of valuable ally in economical matters or against Vlad, then we need this war to be quick and not overly bloody.
I believe we can play our cannon-superiority for a quick win here, even if it will cost us soldiers.
Wurtbad is, as far as I remember, the biggest town/city in Stirland and it is economically important.
Shelling and starving the city for a year, while not nearly as devastating as with modern guns, is still going to be devastating.
If we want Stirland to recover after this, to be any kind of valuable ally in economical matters or against Vlad, then we need this war to be quick and not overly bloody.
I believe we can play our cannon-superiority for a quick win here, even if it will cost us soldiers.
- Location
- Over the next hill.
[] Plan Building a Bloc
-[] Storm Wurtbad
-[] The Grand Count's Grand Kitchen
-[] The Imperial Palace
-[] Engage with an Elector (Write-In which Elector) Cost: 1,000 Marks per Die Must Beat: 150 3 dice
- [] Elector Count of Averland : Formalize our relationship by proposing an alliance, increasing trade between our two states and mutual development of our militaries by offering to supply their state troops with gunpowder weapons and Iron Company advisors in exchange for helping develop a native heavy cavalry program.
-[] Roadwarden South Cost: 600 Marks, 200 Materials, 500 Food per Die Required Effort: 132/150 1 die
-[] Develop the Flintlock Cost: 1,400 Marks and 100 Materials per Die Must Beat: 200 4 dice
-[] Riverine Docks Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Effort Required: Ballenhof - 0/100 1 die
-[] Assault Threat Cost: 400 Marks and 40 Materials per Die Must Beat: Murderous Cadaver Merchant Kill 50 1 die
-[] The Stirland Crisis Must Beat: 50 1 die
Total Cost: 10600 Marks, 840 Materials, 500 Food
Another plan from me. I wish we had more dice. Can switch out engaging with an elector with negotiating with the Ranaldians but I wanted to explain my write-in first and get some feedback from the thread. On to the rationale.
Storming Wurtbad to finish this crisis. We should have at least two turns before Vlad gets his warpstone and enacts his ritual, I think we can afford the losses right now. I originally wanted to go for the Lodge but I felt we could use the PR boost from sponsoring a Grand Kitchen. It will cut down on the Ranaldian rhetoric that we don't care about the working classes of Nuln. The Lodge would have been good if we were courting the Halflings to our side (which we should eventually, that's an extra electoral vote). Lastly, we need to attend Van Hal's conference. It's the first flag for necromancy that we've had in the quest. Important when there's a secret vampire ruling as an Elector Count.
For Diplomacy, I wanted to treat with Averland this turn. Start to build a southern bloc in the Empire. Averland is prime grazing land, that also makes it prime cavalry country. They have an experience in cavalry that we lack. We have an experience in firearms that they lack. I propose a trade, along with just regular trade. Our army severely lacks a heavy cavalry component and thus a hammer to our Iron Company anvil.That being said, I can change this out for the Ranaldians if people want to just get that done and over with. No big deal.
Rest of the plan is more straightforward. Finishing Roadwarden South for that passive replenishment to the Iron Sides. Devoting 4 dice to developing the flintlock to boost the strength of our province's military, as well as make money from selling the surplus of obsolete guns and supplying our free companies. Starting the Docks at Ballenhof for extra money our lowest resource. Would have liked to devote another die and finish it this turn for sure but let's just hope we get lucky. Lastly, taking out that cadaver merchant to wipe something of our growing threats board.
-[] Storm Wurtbad
-[] The Grand Count's Grand Kitchen
-[] The Imperial Palace
-[] Engage with an Elector (Write-In which Elector) Cost: 1,000 Marks per Die Must Beat: 150 3 dice
- [] Elector Count of Averland : Formalize our relationship by proposing an alliance, increasing trade between our two states and mutual development of our militaries by offering to supply their state troops with gunpowder weapons and Iron Company advisors in exchange for helping develop a native heavy cavalry program.
-[] Roadwarden South Cost: 600 Marks, 200 Materials, 500 Food per Die Required Effort: 132/150 1 die
-[] Develop the Flintlock Cost: 1,400 Marks and 100 Materials per Die Must Beat: 200 4 dice
-[] Riverine Docks Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Effort Required: Ballenhof - 0/100 1 die
-[] Assault Threat Cost: 400 Marks and 40 Materials per Die Must Beat: Murderous Cadaver Merchant Kill 50 1 die
-[] The Stirland Crisis Must Beat: 50 1 die
Total Cost: 10600 Marks, 840 Materials, 500 Food
Another plan from me. I wish we had more dice. Can switch out engaging with an elector with negotiating with the Ranaldians but I wanted to explain my write-in first and get some feedback from the thread. On to the rationale.
Storming Wurtbad to finish this crisis. We should have at least two turns before Vlad gets his warpstone and enacts his ritual, I think we can afford the losses right now. I originally wanted to go for the Lodge but I felt we could use the PR boost from sponsoring a Grand Kitchen. It will cut down on the Ranaldian rhetoric that we don't care about the working classes of Nuln. The Lodge would have been good if we were courting the Halflings to our side (which we should eventually, that's an extra electoral vote). Lastly, we need to attend Van Hal's conference. It's the first flag for necromancy that we've had in the quest. Important when there's a secret vampire ruling as an Elector Count.
For Diplomacy, I wanted to treat with Averland this turn. Start to build a southern bloc in the Empire. Averland is prime grazing land, that also makes it prime cavalry country. They have an experience in cavalry that we lack. We have an experience in firearms that they lack. I propose a trade, along with just regular trade. Our army severely lacks a heavy cavalry component and thus a hammer to our Iron Company anvil.That being said, I can change this out for the Ranaldians if people want to just get that done and over with. No big deal.
Rest of the plan is more straightforward. Finishing Roadwarden South for that passive replenishment to the Iron Sides. Devoting 4 dice to developing the flintlock to boost the strength of our province's military, as well as make money from selling the surplus of obsolete guns and supplying our free companies. Starting the Docks at Ballenhof for extra money our lowest resource. Would have liked to devote another die and finish it this turn for sure but let's just hope we get lucky. Lastly, taking out that cadaver merchant to wipe something of our growing threats board.
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[X] Diplomacy Aplenty for War Preperations
- Pronouns
- Warkeymon
The Knights of the Blazing Sun move to Averland after the Great War Against Chaos in order to be closer to Magnus who offered significant patronage to them in honour of the fact they were the first Knightly Order to join him.
Currently they have a chapterhouse in Talabheim, you could reach out to them either through the Cult of Myrmidia or through the Ottilian Empress.
- Location
- Centro Italia
[X] Diplomacy Aplenty for War Preperations
- Location
- Over the next hill.
Sort of separate to the vote ahead but I wanted to discuss some of our future goals. Warning, long post ahead.
A large topic of discussion in the last vote was on our stance in the Empire. Do we back the secessionist cause and leave the Empire, support an Elector and hitch ourselves to an Imperial Candidate or do we take a radical secessionist stance and aim for the Imperial candidacy?
I've remarked earlier in the thread about how it's too early to tell which stance would benefit us the most and would only be made clear once Vlad enacts his plan. With this turn we've got more hints that he's preparing to take the Imperial Throne by force, and I'm starting to take a clearer stance on this.
The short version of it is that I think we should aim for the radical secessionist stance and build a power bloc in the southern Empire. To fully leave the Empire means we give up our seat at the table of Imperial politics and our place in the Imperial network of provinces, create another threat with the displeasure of the Cult of Sigmar, and reduce our capability to intervene in the Vampire Wars and jeopardize the defense of Wissenland. We also have a host of opportunities to become a bigger player in Imperial politics which I will outline. But first I need to get something out of the way.
My last plan voted to deny the Ottillian Emperor her proposal to uplift the cult of Taal to an electoral vote. To clarify, this wasn't because I don't think the Taalites shouldn't have a vote. Multi-polar religious situation in the Empire works best for us, in the long term we might get a shot at uplifting Myrmidia. I voted for it because aside from the opinion boost from her, we didn't really have a a clear reason to do so. We haven't decided to support her and there hasn't been a movement in the thread to tie us to her. As the Imperial Candidate with the current largest amount of supporters, an extra vote would have put her within spitting distance to the Imperial Throne. A united Empire interferes with both secessionist stances. Our lack of a stance in Imperial politics meant that I felt that the denial would have been the safest choice to keep all three stances in check. The safest option would have been an abstain vote (as pointed out by @Vocalend) but since we lacked that stance in Imperial politics and took an action to talk to the Ottillian Empress that option was not available to us.
Now of course we could also choose to support the Ottillian Empress. That's actually an okay option for us. In doing so however, we'd lose out on a couple of key things, we'd be forced to go along with whatever her plans for the Empire are, we're not in the best geographical position for her to easily come to our aid. We'd also lose out on our chance in this quest to shape the Empire into our image. From a player standpoint, it's a safe option but I don't find it as fun or challenging.
Now as to why I think we should aim for a radical secessionist position and not the base secessionist position and how we can achieve that.
WHY OUTRIGHT SECESSION WOULD SUCK
Now here's the opportunities we have that I can see on how we can make Imperial Candidacy a reality.
I. FAITH
The current dynamic of Imperial religious politics is Sigmar vs Ulric. A vote for the Taalites would have changed that but only benefited the Ottillian Empress. Ulric is out because he hates gunpowder and we love that stuff. That leaves Sigmar.
I don't really get this thread's hate towards the Sigmarites (Reiklanders I get). They're the largest religious denomination in the Empire. They're not that hard to please and gain approval of; all we have to do is defend the empire from invaders, all the various forms of corruption and not leave it. Fairly simple. I think it's a mistake to keep them at arm's length as we lose out on getting a big power player in the Empire on our side.
We're also not as opposed politically as before. Our decision to decouple from the Reikland Emperor might have distanced us, but with the recent weakening of Reikland, we have a prime opportunity to flip the Sigmarite cause to us. The Reikland's lack of involvement in the Stirland Crisis has weakened their position as the leader of the Sigmarite faction in the Empire. If we can keep ties with Stirland, rally enough Arch-Lectors, we can force the Grand Theogonist to start endorsing us.
I'd also like to make one thing clear. The Sigmarites while the largest cult in the Empire, isn't the most politically dominant. The Cult only has the single vote in the Grand Theogonist. Two if you count Reikland. That's even worse than the Ulricans who can rely on the Ar-Ulric's, Middenland, and Nordland's vote. They lack teeth for now too with the devastation of Reikland's armies. Gaining their support doesn't mean we have to give them more votes.
II. THE SOUTHERN EMPIRE
I would like to talk about a possible bloc we can form in the Southern Empire. To counteract Vlad and safeguard Wissenland's borders. In order of difficulty.
Averland : Our natural ally. We protect the passes in the southern Empire. Their elector count is not politically ambitious. They share a long border with us. In any of our possible stances on Imperial politics they would be very important to approach. We've also already established a relationship during the current crisis. We just need to formalize it.
The Moot: The halflings are the next step, often forgotten by the wider Empire. They control some of the most fertile farmlands in the Empire. We can easily gain their approval by extending the offer of equal status we made to Bugman for the dwarfs and reducing discrimination against them. They're also right on the border with Sylvania and are very much threatened by them. Halflings don't have the best armies as well.Gotta get that Old Toby too.
Stirland: I think it's fair to say that unless Vlad goes and tries something with his state troops, we've locked him out pretty well in Stirland. Assuming there's no vampire shenanigans, I think we can aim for an alliance with them. Their State Troops are wrecked, they will need bolstering, and they don't really have any other possible backers now that Reikland's backed out.
Reikland: Now you might be thinking this is impossible given they hate us. But they're not really who we need to target. It's the Grand Theogonist. Reikland gets it legitimacy as the defender of Sigmar in the Empire, something they're currently unable to do. If we can get the other three on our side, the Grand Theogonist is going to have to make a hard choice of betting on a losing horse and stick with Reikland, or go with the larger bloc of Sigmarite worshippers. This might be made more possible as well once the Vampire Wars start. Without the Grand Theogonist, Reikland's bid for the throne is dead in the water. Doubly so if we can make a Southern Sphere. I think we can do a better job than Reikland at defending the Empire.
Not really part but we should also continue to make more ties with the dwarf holds on our border. The closer we tie ourselves together the more chance they'll be willing to march and help us.
Another benefit for aiming for all of this is that after the dust settles, our bloc of alliances will basically allow us to do anything we want. We don't necessarily even have to make this alliance about our Imperial Candidacy, just mutual defense and closer cooperation. It's more in spirit anyways of what Sigmar wanted the Empire to be instead of this rabid chickenfight the Empire is currently embroiled in. It then becomes easier to ask for concessions from the other candidates in exchange for supporting their goals.
A large topic of discussion in the last vote was on our stance in the Empire. Do we back the secessionist cause and leave the Empire, support an Elector and hitch ourselves to an Imperial Candidate or do we take a radical secessionist stance and aim for the Imperial candidacy?
I've remarked earlier in the thread about how it's too early to tell which stance would benefit us the most and would only be made clear once Vlad enacts his plan. With this turn we've got more hints that he's preparing to take the Imperial Throne by force, and I'm starting to take a clearer stance on this.
The short version of it is that I think we should aim for the radical secessionist stance and build a power bloc in the southern Empire. To fully leave the Empire means we give up our seat at the table of Imperial politics and our place in the Imperial network of provinces, create another threat with the displeasure of the Cult of Sigmar, and reduce our capability to intervene in the Vampire Wars and jeopardize the defense of Wissenland. We also have a host of opportunities to become a bigger player in Imperial politics which I will outline. But first I need to get something out of the way.
My last plan voted to deny the Ottillian Emperor her proposal to uplift the cult of Taal to an electoral vote. To clarify, this wasn't because I don't think the Taalites shouldn't have a vote. Multi-polar religious situation in the Empire works best for us, in the long term we might get a shot at uplifting Myrmidia. I voted for it because aside from the opinion boost from her, we didn't really have a a clear reason to do so. We haven't decided to support her and there hasn't been a movement in the thread to tie us to her. As the Imperial Candidate with the current largest amount of supporters, an extra vote would have put her within spitting distance to the Imperial Throne. A united Empire interferes with both secessionist stances. Our lack of a stance in Imperial politics meant that I felt that the denial would have been the safest choice to keep all three stances in check. The safest option would have been an abstain vote (as pointed out by @Vocalend) but since we lacked that stance in Imperial politics and took an action to talk to the Ottillian Empress that option was not available to us.
Now of course we could also choose to support the Ottillian Empress. That's actually an okay option for us. In doing so however, we'd lose out on a couple of key things, we'd be forced to go along with whatever her plans for the Empire are, we're not in the best geographical position for her to easily come to our aid. We'd also lose out on our chance in this quest to shape the Empire into our image. From a player standpoint, it's a safe option but I don't find it as fun or challenging.
Now as to why I think we should aim for a radical secessionist position and not the base secessionist position and how we can achieve that.
WHY OUTRIGHT SECESSION WOULD SUCK
- We'd lose out on trade. We don't have as strong a mercantile tradition as Westerland and a lack of contacts from it. It would require a long rebuilding of trade relations outside the Empire with a swift drop in income while we decouple. Money is our lowest gaining resource and it won't matter how many docks we build we'd still lose out for awhile only to break even with our previous income later.
- We'd lose out on our say in Imperial politics. The other electors will not look kindly on us for leaving. It will be harder to do inter-Empire diplomacy. They would shy away from doing deals with us. We won't get to cast our votes in the Imperial Diet.
- It leaves us vulnerable to Vlad. Now that he's hinting at gearing up for his Vampire War it's vital we have allies surrounding us. He won't really care about our official status and find us a juicy target to hit.
- The Cult of Sigmar would become another threat. They will act against us to keep us in the Empire. We could keep them in check but the other electors will have a casus belli to reincorporate us and depose our dynasty.
Now here's the opportunities we have that I can see on how we can make Imperial Candidacy a reality.
I. FAITH
The current dynamic of Imperial religious politics is Sigmar vs Ulric. A vote for the Taalites would have changed that but only benefited the Ottillian Empress. Ulric is out because he hates gunpowder and we love that stuff. That leaves Sigmar.
I don't really get this thread's hate towards the Sigmarites (Reiklanders I get). They're the largest religious denomination in the Empire. They're not that hard to please and gain approval of; all we have to do is defend the empire from invaders, all the various forms of corruption and not leave it. Fairly simple. I think it's a mistake to keep them at arm's length as we lose out on getting a big power player in the Empire on our side.
We're also not as opposed politically as before. Our decision to decouple from the Reikland Emperor might have distanced us, but with the recent weakening of Reikland, we have a prime opportunity to flip the Sigmarite cause to us. The Reikland's lack of involvement in the Stirland Crisis has weakened their position as the leader of the Sigmarite faction in the Empire. If we can keep ties with Stirland, rally enough Arch-Lectors, we can force the Grand Theogonist to start endorsing us.
I'd also like to make one thing clear. The Sigmarites while the largest cult in the Empire, isn't the most politically dominant. The Cult only has the single vote in the Grand Theogonist. Two if you count Reikland. That's even worse than the Ulricans who can rely on the Ar-Ulric's, Middenland, and Nordland's vote. They lack teeth for now too with the devastation of Reikland's armies. Gaining their support doesn't mean we have to give them more votes.
II. THE SOUTHERN EMPIRE
I would like to talk about a possible bloc we can form in the Southern Empire. To counteract Vlad and safeguard Wissenland's borders. In order of difficulty.
Averland : Our natural ally. We protect the passes in the southern Empire. Their elector count is not politically ambitious. They share a long border with us. In any of our possible stances on Imperial politics they would be very important to approach. We've also already established a relationship during the current crisis. We just need to formalize it.
The Moot: The halflings are the next step, often forgotten by the wider Empire. They control some of the most fertile farmlands in the Empire. We can easily gain their approval by extending the offer of equal status we made to Bugman for the dwarfs and reducing discrimination against them. They're also right on the border with Sylvania and are very much threatened by them. Halflings don't have the best armies as well.
Stirland: I think it's fair to say that unless Vlad goes and tries something with his state troops, we've locked him out pretty well in Stirland. Assuming there's no vampire shenanigans, I think we can aim for an alliance with them. Their State Troops are wrecked, they will need bolstering, and they don't really have any other possible backers now that Reikland's backed out.
Reikland: Now you might be thinking this is impossible given they hate us. But they're not really who we need to target. It's the Grand Theogonist. Reikland gets it legitimacy as the defender of Sigmar in the Empire, something they're currently unable to do. If we can get the other three on our side, the Grand Theogonist is going to have to make a hard choice of betting on a losing horse and stick with Reikland, or go with the larger bloc of Sigmarite worshippers. This might be made more possible as well once the Vampire Wars start. Without the Grand Theogonist, Reikland's bid for the throne is dead in the water. Doubly so if we can make a Southern Sphere. I think we can do a better job than Reikland at defending the Empire.
Not really part but we should also continue to make more ties with the dwarf holds on our border. The closer we tie ourselves together the more chance they'll be willing to march and help us.
Another benefit for aiming for all of this is that after the dust settles, our bloc of alliances will basically allow us to do anything we want. We don't necessarily even have to make this alliance about our Imperial Candidacy, just mutual defense and closer cooperation. It's more in spirit anyways of what Sigmar wanted the Empire to be instead of this rabid chickenfight the Empire is currently embroiled in. It then becomes easier to ask for concessions from the other candidates in exchange for supporting their goals.
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- Location
- Germany
Frankly, I'd much prefer to take neither of these actions.
We stay officially part of the Empire, de facto independent.
We don't support any particular candidate and don't become one either.
We just stick with the status quo until Magnus or a similarly larger-than-life figure comes along, or until external circumstances and the lack of a Magnus-like figure might force the Empire into acting united.
But we have already established that we cannot rely on the canon.
Vlad behaves differently and I am of the opinion, if he wins we're finished.
Even if we survive this, Magnus the Pious will definitely not save the empire in the future, we are blocking his starting region.
The vampire wars will make the secessionists stronger and they are generally on the rise.
If we support someone as emperor in the future, we will probably have a civil war.
It would be nice if we at least had a plan and not just kick the can down the road and wait for a mythical savior.
@Vocalend
The Ranaldians are already calm because they recognize the seriousness of the situation, which is explicitly mentioned in the update. Negotiating with them now would only mean additional costs without any additional benefits.
Why again the compass research we are a landlocked province, a better compass is nice to have but is way down on the priority list.
Postpone those two actions and you'd have room for Flintlock research with 3 dice, which is frankly more urgent.
Edit: and 1 die for Invest in City Institutions College of Engineering if I'm correct with my guess about the use of the fertilizer.
Edit2: or 4 dice directly in Flintlock research, 200 will be hard to beat, which we have to achieve in one turn
@Warkeymon
Am I reading the update correctly? Do we need to invest in the College of Engineering (Invest in City Institutions) to realize the Gypsum Fertiliser Innovation. As far as I understand, we won't see any direct benefit until we do that.
@Kairos
Is your plan finalized? Right now there is only one plan being voted on.
I would swap Riverine Docks for Invest in City Institutions College of Engineering if Warkeymon confirms we need it to utilize the fertilizer.
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[ ] A Long Siege
Professional soldiers really can't be thrown away so readily, this would be the best bet, maybe with an added action to have spies sneak in spreading the word that Lutz Haupt-Anderssen would be rightfully succeeding his incompetent father and that Stirland would remain independent and Chaos-free.
[ ] The Lodge of Nuln
The kitchen is pretty tempting but the lodge is much better in the long run, it gives us contacts throughout the Empire and beyond. Smaller variations of Esmerelda's kitchens will likely pop up due to all the halflings that will be moving into Nuln.
[ ] The Imperial Palace
Abelard van Hal might have actual info and misgivings about the Sylvanians, the sooner we wise up to who and what Vlad is the better.
Yeah what @Kairos said, we really should make an alliance with Averland, and soon at that. We might even be able to get the Moot on our side via extending the same rights and whatnot to Hlaflings like we did the Dwarfs.
And as much as I would like to see the Ranaldians finally dealt with, not to mention getting Leonardo over, we've yet to see the benefits of the Gypsum Fertilizer invented last turn. Investment will most likely be needed into the College of Engineering in order to spread said fertilizer and obtain profit.
@Kairos I like your plan except for the Storm Wurtbad option, feels like it would lose us a lot of trained soldiers, a long siege would be best I think, much less risk.
Edit: Ninja'd on the fertilizer lol.
Also full agreement on the sea-worthy compass, fellas we are a landlocked province, there is no actual benefit to Wissenland as of yet to spend a die on trying to invent it.
Professional soldiers really can't be thrown away so readily, this would be the best bet, maybe with an added action to have spies sneak in spreading the word that Lutz Haupt-Anderssen would be rightfully succeeding his incompetent father and that Stirland would remain independent and Chaos-free.
[ ] The Lodge of Nuln
The kitchen is pretty tempting but the lodge is much better in the long run, it gives us contacts throughout the Empire and beyond. Smaller variations of Esmerelda's kitchens will likely pop up due to all the halflings that will be moving into Nuln.
[ ] The Imperial Palace
Abelard van Hal might have actual info and misgivings about the Sylvanians, the sooner we wise up to who and what Vlad is the better.
Yeah what @Kairos said, we really should make an alliance with Averland, and soon at that. We might even be able to get the Moot on our side via extending the same rights and whatnot to Hlaflings like we did the Dwarfs.
And as much as I would like to see the Ranaldians finally dealt with, not to mention getting Leonardo over, we've yet to see the benefits of the Gypsum Fertilizer invented last turn. Investment will most likely be needed into the College of Engineering in order to spread said fertilizer and obtain profit.
@Kairos I like your plan except for the Storm Wurtbad option, feels like it would lose us a lot of trained soldiers, a long siege would be best I think, much less risk.
Edit: Ninja'd on the fertilizer lol.
Also full agreement on the sea-worthy compass, fellas we are a landlocked province, there is no actual benefit to Wissenland as of yet to spend a die on trying to invent it.
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- Location
- Over the next hill.
I'm amenable to both of those changes. @Warkeymon would investing in City Institutions count as a province die? IIRC one of our advisors has a condition where we always have to keep one die on the province. If yes I'll whip up a new version.
Thanks for the feedback by the way. Appreciate it.
I would like to note that arrest is almost certainly an auto-success, our modifier of finding out who is behind the murders was a +89 and we got extra doing the intel. The benefit of doing Arrests as I can tell is that it softens the blow of negative relationships, and getting extra intel on the matter – though @Warkeymon, could you chime in further? – Considering that the suspects are from our learning centres, we could should do with a less forceful method of purging.
I do not mind going for Averland though. Though I would recommend changing it to "Light Cavs" or "Stable Breeding Population" instead. If your plan pans out well on the matter of Flintlocks, we're on our way to get our first Pistolliers and Outriders. Dragoons are excellent skirmish and scout units, after all.
I understand your reasoning but that sort of heavy plan changes is better suited to make a new plan for. Sorry, but at least Compass is a good low hanging research and is probably the best 1 Dice Investment we have: It creates something "new" (No way the Elves somehow don't have compass) for our tech and can be sold as a manufactured trade good, same with the Fertilizer.
The thing is, this isn't exactly a matter of supporting the Empress either, or rather– there are politics even beyond that. Note that Ar-Ulric, normally tied with Middenland as the voting block for the Wolf Emperors split in two with the former wanting more electoral seats and the latter opposing the Ottillians.
Cards of the table for me and my general voting aims: Fuck the crab bucket. It wasn't as bad when it was still The Two Emperors time between the Elected and the Ottillian Emperors over the past 500 or so years but most of the reasons this Quest – and the titular Dark Ages – started is because Sigmarites played silly buggers:
Article: The Dark Ages began after Grand Theogonist Vilgrim III refused to crown Magritta of Marienburg, the Elector Countess and Baroness of Westerland, as empress in 1979 IC despite her having won the majority of electoral votes. The entire Imperial system of electoral monarchy collapsed, and soon most of the Grand Provinces' leaders fought among themselves, each seeking to claim the Imperial crown for themselves.
I would say that being the catalyst that starts a period of free-for-all for nearly four centuries is enough a reason to be mad at the Sigmarites. I guarantee you that even if the Ottillians got the majority next time with a new Taal/Rhya vote, the Reikland Claimants and the Grand Theogonist would just consider the vote a sham and we'd still be in a crab bucket where not even the Vampire Wars – an ostensibly foreign threat – united the Empire.
Thus, anything we can do to alleviate the crab bucket and normalize relationships between most Elector Counts is good. That is our posture still, regardless whatever ambitions the Questers might decide on later.
None of the plans involves Establishing Agents within Sylvania...
[X] Plan Slow and Steady
[X] The Lodge of Nuln
We work with what we have unfortunately, this is gonna go just like the adviser quest isn't.
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- Pronouns
- Warkeymon
Yes, the invention of the fertiliser has had a very small impact on food production but the College will need you to invest in it through Stewardship to realise the full potential of the invention.
No. The requirement comes from the Chamberlain of the Province so the action has to fall within her remit i.e. the Wissenland or the Sudenland, rather than within the remit of the Steward of the City i.e. Nuln.
Arrests have better PR than assasinations/slaughter and harsh your relationship with institutions that are involved/tangential to a lesser degree.
- Location
- Over the next hill.
Not anymore!
Got it. Took this into account.
If our modifiers are really that good then I'll lean towards arrest.
[X] Plan Slow and Steady
-[X] A Long Siege
-[X] The Grand Count's Grand Kitchen
-[X] The Imperial Palace
-[X] Roadwarden South Cost: 600 Marks, 200 Materials, 500 Food per Die Required Effort: 132/150 1 die
-[X] Develop the Flintlock Cost: 1,400 Marks and 100 Materials per Die Must Beat: 200 4 dice
-[X] Riverine Docks Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Effort Required: Ballenhof - 0/100 1 die
-[X] Invest in City Institutions: Cost: 1,600 Marks and 300 Materials per Die College of Engineering - 0/250 1 die
-[X] Establish Agents Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Food per Die Must Beat: 100 2 Dice
--[X] Sylvania
-[X] Assault Threat Cost: 400 Marks and 40 Materials per Die Must Beat: Murderous Cadaver Merchant Arrest 100 1 die
-[X] The Stirland Crisis Must Beat: 50 1 die
Total: 10,200 Marks, 1140 Materials, 900 Food
New plan which riffs off my preliminary one. Taking in some comments from the thread. Exchanged Storming Wurtbad with a longer siege. Removed entreating with Averland for establishing agents and investing in the College of Engineering. Changed the goal of assaulting threat from kill to arrest. Would have liked to keep Averland but we lack dice for that. We can always do it later when the crisis resolves. They're tied to us now anyways because of their involvement.
On the new actions, investing in the College of Engineering to take full advantage of the fertilizer tech. We lose less men in a longer siege but given we're technically not at war with Sylvania I think we can afford the delay. While we're waiting we might as well send agents to Sylvania to figure out a pattern to their movements. Changed from kill to arrest for the Cadaver Merchant so we can get more info and receive less penalties to our PR.
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Doesn't that mean that also @Vocalend Diplomacy Aplenty for War Preperations plan won't work in the form it is currently in?
I would understand if Invest in City Institutions College of Engineering doesn't fit into a plan and has to be postponed. As long as we don't forget it the next turn. The food stockpile is high enough right now.
On the other hand, it would be something we could also offer Averland if the surplus becomes even larger.
Provided they need it.
We really don't have enough dice, I don't really like not voting for either of the two write-in diplomatic options, but I also don't see how we're supposed to fit everything in.
This time it's not that I couldn't live with the alternative plans, but I'm hesitantly giving preference to this plan right now:
[X] Plan Slow and Steady
But I am still open to any ideas that people come up with for this turn.
- Pronouns
- Warkeymon
There was a small increase in food production but in order to reap the full benefits of the new fertiliser the College of Engineering will need investment.
Yes @Vocalend, your plan will need adjusting to ensure that it has at least one Action Die spent on the remit of the Chamberlain of the Province.