Well, smashing the orc base is good action economy even if it does end up costing us in personal actions. I certainly don't mind that, and actively prefer this one over a single unit as even with the elite it would take us many more actions to accomplish a similar feat ourselves.
But I suppose wee should keep this in mind for the future.
Are Kaleb's units the only ones we can hire that way, or are there mercenary companies? Maybe even some that come with mages? Is it something we should do research on?
[X] Provide your services as an enchanter. It will take you three turns of concentrated effort for the whole array of features he wants. (Meaning split actions count half. Will also cost 300 denier total in enchanting reagents divided amongst the actions.)
[X] Plan Seaside Fortress
Absolutely worth it if he can pay back the Orcs enough
I have two plans to propose. But first, let me get the external actions out of the way...
[x] Provide your services as an enchanter. It will take you three turns of concentrated effort for the whole array of features he wants. (Meaning split actions count half. Will also cost 300 denier total in enchanting reagents divided amongst the actions.)
[x][Contact] Nicolas
-[x] About a possible partneship, if he can help you with initial funding and perhaps staffing you could construct a drydocks and port facility in the middle of nowhere, wich should help his logistical problems.
First plan would be to construct the docks, guard the construction, and throw everything at it to offset the winter maluses. The importance of the docks facility lies in the fact that it bypasses the orc raids malus, so we don't need to guard the merchants this turn. The units are then rerouted to the orc border to help prepare for Kaleb's raid.
[ ] Plan: Docks at all costs and Raid preparation
-[][Construction] Port facility, 400 denier, 100 upkeep. Allows docking of ships for trade. This bypasses orc ground raid penalty and further due to reduced transport costs reduces upkeep 10%. x2
-[][Personal] Find a way to make it so you can recruit without taking so much of your time. You'll either find an assistant that can do recruiting for you or just build a network of contacts willing to do it for a fee. (Cost variable dependent on roll, will have option to refuse and retry or recruit normally)
-[][Skirmishers] Scout the orc side of the border to see what forces and structures they have, maybe do some opportunistic raiding too.
-[][Footmen] Protect skirmishers
--[] Leo and Olivia help
-[][Levy] Guard
--[] The construction efforts
-[][Hunters1] Guard base and sawmill
-[][Hunters2] Rest and recuperate, keep in reserve to defend the base
97 starting -1167 upkeep this turn +23 Hunter upkeep mitigation -46 Nerissa -390 recruitment +600 season payment +400 sawmill profit +200 wood workshop +400 herbs +200 charcoal = 317
Upkeep next turn: (1315-100 forge-50 rabbits)+15%: (100 you +100 leo +200 sawmills + 200 construction crews +85 hunters + 50 levies +100 footmen +100 skirmishers +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers +50 harvesters+100 charcoal burner +40 forge +40 Nerissa)=1340
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 400 Sawmill profit +200 Wood Workshop +200 charcoal +400 herb sales=1800
Construction: 400 + variable (+15%) = 460 + variable
Net profit: 0 to minor negative
Second plan is to turn our eye to domestic issues and use the winter to catch a breath and build up a little. There is probably no better time to build fireplaces than in the winter when they are most needed.
[x] Plan: Catching our breath
-[x][Construction] You don't need a steady supply of bricks for your current operation. But you do have a number of things you could use them for. Making bricks is simple enough that you can probably have one of your construction teams make a big batch with some hired advisors. (50 Denier)
-[x][Construction] Add brick fireplaces to the structures that need them. (Requires brick action, improves safety and comfort)
-[x][Personal] Find a way to make it so you can recruit without taking so much of your time. You'll either find an assistant that can do recruiting for you or just build a network of contacts willing to do it for a fee. (Cost variable dependent on roll, will have option to refuse and retry or recruit normally)
[][Personal] You could produce some basic enchanted gear for one of your units. Sharper blades and harder armor are staples for a reason. (100 Denier in needed materials)
-[] Skirmishers
-[x][Levy] Train with the captain
--[x] Upgrade to footmen, 200 Denier upfront, 50 upkeep
--[x] Leo helps
-[x][Hunters1] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
-[x][Skirmishers] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
--[x] Olivia helps
-[x][Hunters2] Rest and recuperate, keep in reserve to defend the base
-[x][Footmen] Guard
--[x] The merchants that bring your supplies (eliminate 15% modifier)
If we aren't building the docks, then the merchant action is a sensible way to offset the costs and fix our economy. It's a net plus of 200+ Denier (150+ in saved upkeep and 60+ in saved construction costs next turn)
97 starting -1167 upkeep this turn +23 Hunter upkeep mitigation -46 Nerissa -390 recruitment +600 season payment +400 sawmill profit +200 wood workshop +400 herbs +200 charcoal = 317
Upkeep next turn: (1315-100 forge-50 rabbits)+15%: (100 you +100 leo +200 sawmills + 200 construction crews +85 hunters + 50 levies +100 footmen +100 skirmishers +50 herbalist +100 woodworkers +50 harvesters+100 charcoal burner +40 forge +40 Nerissa)=1340
Income next turn: 600 base stipend + 400 Sawmill profit +200 Wood Workshop +200 charcoal +400 herb sales=1800
Construction: 250 +15% = 288 + variable
Net profit: 112?
@Nevill we want to grab the recruit network since if we enchant gear for our brother that is 3 turns of personal actions so for spring, summer and fall we cannot do any recruiting if we dont grab the networking this season. Also we should do the laying foundation runes to remove that construction penalty as we will want to expand our base this year.
Fine, I'll add the recruiting if people prefer it. But I'd like you to consider two things:
1) Captain can do the recruiting by himself. It's on the list under the [Captain] actions.
2) We are not limited to 3 consecutive actions (we are given ~10 turns to repay Kaleb), nor are we limited to three repayment actions (i.e. seasons of inaction). We can take two Personals whenever Olivia is present, remember? Each split personal counts as half of a full repayment action.
So we can easily do our own thing with a d90 dice, or even ignore the requirements altogether in case of emergencies, provided we have what Kaleb asks of us by the deadline.
We'll be building the docks this turn or the next, and those are under no danger of a cave in... and if we eliminate the raid penalty, the costs will be cheaper. Why do it this turn, then?
Fine, I'll add the recruiting if people prefer it. But I'd like you to consider two things:
1) Captain can do the recruiting by himself. It's on the list under the [Captain] actions.
2) We are not limited to 3 consecutive actions (we are given ~10 turns to repay Kaleb), nor are we limited to three repayment actions (i.e. seasons of inaction). We can take two Personals whenever Olivia is present, remember? Each split personal counts as half of a full repayment action.
So we can easily do our own thing with a d90 dice, or even ignore the requirements altogether in case of emergencies, provided we have what Kaleb asks of us by the deadline.
We'll be building the docks this turn or the next, and those are under no danger of a cave in... and if we eliminate the raid penalty, the costs will be cheaper. Why do it this turn, then?
Hmm, 10 turns does give us some flexibility. I was thinking we had less time so was wanting to clear it out quicker, as it is either 6 half actions or 3 full actions for personal. Still if we do a half action each season starting from next season with maybe a season of full enchanting we can get that done.
As for the wardstones, unless they apply the same turn we want to do them the turn before we do any base building or expansion so unless we go for the drydock next turn we would still have to pay the 15% fee on it. Hmm, though port this turn along with recruiter then next turn drydock and use the recruiter to get the specialists for that should give us a good income boost and we can do wardstones then and use our other personal for a half action on enchanting for our brother.
Writing to your eldest brother asking for what really amounts to help—even if you're not putting it in those terms at all—is a bit of an uncomfortable activity for sure. You weren't exactly afraid of him for yourself. Cruel though he may be he had a highly… regimented view on things. Loyalty to the family was very high up in his books, just sometimes you couldn't quite predict how he'd react.
You could feel phantom aches just thinking about his efforts to teach you. Certainly you didn't learn anything except how much being hit with even a wooden blade hurt. He never quite got that a teacher really needs to hold back enough for the student to at least see the blade.
You're almost surprised when you get a mudstained letter in reply rather than him just showing up. His handwriting is quite terrible really.
While each of the soldiers in my company are surely better than the best of yours, I admit that the specialties of my forces do not lend themselves well to operation in the Overgrowth. I field a mix of heavy cavalry and archers, both of which would be hobbled by terrain. To cull the orc numbers would require that I bring my whole unit through the Overgrowth and remount on the other side to engage them there. While my company is more than capable of such an operation, a detachment would be unsuitable.
I know you can just tromp on through the Overgrowth... I'm really not inclined to piss anything or anyone in there off if I can. After all, even if the Orcs get beaten down for a time, whatever carnage he leaves in his wake we'll have to clean up.
While extra funds or mundane materials are always worthwhile, from you brother I would also accept enchanting of my personal arms and armor, though it would have to be a true masterwork.
If you decide to take my aid I shall march on their base in spring as soon as the winter weather breaks.
Remember this? I don't know the scale of success/disaster, but it appears that rolling under 10 is a bad thing. Winter has an inherent -20 malus, and I don't know what the wildlife has to say about it. In these circumstances, a roll of 30 would be reduced to 10 (or lower, depending on other factors). That's a 30% chance to fail and possibly lose money... and the project is costly.
At the very least I suggest to assign some guards to the construction to fend off the wolves or whatever beasts that get especially hungry in winter.
Docks At All Costs attempts to account for this, but then it attempts other things on top of that that might not be as palatable... but that's no reason to ignore the concern itself, no?
@inverted_helix, can we double-team the construction projects to increase our chances? Say, use two construction crews for a single action, but then take the better roll out of the two?
Furthermore, if we are building the docks, doesn't it make sense to try and contact either Nicholas or Adolphine, i.e. the guy commanding a portion of the duchy's navy, or our sister in charge of a major port town?
Remember this? I don't know the scale of success/disaster, but it appears that rolling under 10 is a bad thing. Winter has an inherent -20 malus, and I don't know what the wildlife has to say about it. In these circumstances, a roll of 30 would be reduced to 10 (or lower, depending on other factors). That's a 30% chance to fail and possibly lose money... and the project is costly.
@inverted_helix, can we double-team the construction projects to increase our chances? Say, use two construction crews for a single action, but then take the better roll out of the two?
He's not commanding the full navy, just an anti-piracy patrol (thinking on the order of 3ish ships). Of course he's not expected to stop all pirates with that sort of force, just kind of rove around unpredictably nailing them here and there. None of the children have been trusted with anything too complete.
Though in fairness the navy overall is rather small due to the duchy not having the wealth to maintain a large one, especially since your primary threats are on your land borders. So there's probably only a couple dozen or so warships overall, and mostly focused on faster interceptors. Your navy would be obliterated in a single battle if you went against a major naval power, but that's not that big a concern since your nation's self sufficient enough to make a blockade an economic downturn rather than crippling. So most of your navy is focused on just keeping piracy of various sorts under control, and making sure an amphibious landing isn't too quick and easy. Though an amphibious landing at this tech level would be very painful to begin with, and rapidly turn into a land battle where your forces are better. At least so long as it took long enough or was spotted early enough for the land forces to redeploy.
[X] Provide your services as an enchanter. It will take you three turns of concentrated effort for the whole array of features he wants. (Meaning split actions count half. Will also cost 300 denier total in enchanting reagents divided amongst the actions.)
I just caught up with the quest, and I was wondering if our characters thoughts are influenced by discussion and why we picked certain options? Because our character seems to act heavily pessimistic, paranoid, possessive, impulsive, and a bunch of other traits that SV discussion usually has in abundance.
If so, will discussing more optimistically, more thought out reasons then just copy and paste voting and looking at the silver lining in bad situations mature our character into being less of a bitch?
I just caught up with the quest, and I was wondering if our characters thoughts are influenced by discussion and why we picked certain options? Because our character seems to act heavily pessimistic, paranoid, possessive, impulsive, and a bunch of other traits that SV discussion usually has in abundance.
If so, will discussing more optimistically, more thought out reasons then just copy and paste voting and looking at the silver lining in bad situations mature our character into being less of a bitch?
A little bit, but partly I had character types in mind to go with the options people had at the start. I prefer my strategy quests to have a bit of personality to their characters, and I feel like it's better to come up with characters you can write rather than give players options to select a character you potentially can't write.
Impulsive has been exacerbated by SV's nature, as has paranoia. Though I feel like pessimism has mostly been driven by these dice.
I don't really get the possessive so much though. What makes you think Tristan's possessive?
I'm also a bit disappointed you think him a bitch. I thought I'd been writing a reasonable person put in a situation they didn't see their life leading to.
Anyways the update is mostly done, so should be up in an hour or two. The dice took one look at the plan and laughed.
I am not sure about 'pessimistic and paranoid'... is that because he admitted to his father that he suspected he was sent here to fail? Well, everyone who knew him expected that, as a guy without a combat experience or any kind of inclination to command was put on a deadly frontier. Even Leo thought he'd be incompetent at best, and was pleasantly surprised we suck less than we could have.
Or maybe it was the Mina incident? That definitely had 'do not believe her lies' written into the vote, but the opinions on her have been split. I think she just acts scary so that everyone doubles their diligence on her watch and she didn't have to do scary acts (see: Kaleb and his ideas of inspiration), but Tristan is young enough fellow with a checkered history of familial relationships, so him misinterpreting their intentions is well in character. Eh, give it time. Ten more years of this, and Tristan would outdo them in shrewdness and practicality.
And impulsiveness... well. Definitely a mix of the traits we already had exacerbated by the choices, some of which we took to confirm and lock the same traits. Is this really that bad, though?
I find that he is doing alright, and definitely better than on the path he'd have chosen for himself.
[X] Plan Seaside Fortress
-[X][Construction] Reinforce the newest section of wall (1 action)
-[X][Construction] Port facility, 400 denier, 100 upkeep. Allows docking of ships for trade. This bypasses orc ground raid penalty and further due to reduced transport costs reduces upkeep 10%.
-[X][Personal] Investigate what's happened with your siblings.
-[X][Personal] Design and produce a network of wardstones to harden the earth within your base to prevent cave ins or breakthroughs. (100 Denier, eliminates tunnel issue within base.)
-[X][Hunters 1] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples. Attempt to map out the notable locations
-[X][Hunters 2] Explore the forest, collect flora and fauna samples. Attempt to map out the notable locations
-[X][Skirmishers] Scout to reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
-[X][Levy] Guard
--[X] The base and sawmill
-[X][Footmen] Patrol, reduce chance of enemies slipping by.
--[X] Olivia Helps.
-[X][Captain] Command troops, raising morale and effectiveness.
[X] Provide your services as an enchanter. It will take you three turns of concentrated effort for the whole array of features he wants. (Meaning split actions count half. Will also cost 300 denier total in enchanting reagents divided amongst the actions.)
Winter Weather roll = Natural 1
Winter started early and came in hard. The first storm of the season dropped inches of icy rain, and promised worse to come. Leo rather strongly advised you to have your funding payment translated to supplies before being sent, and to spend every coin you had saved on getting your critical supplies early.
You've always been willing to take his counsel though, and you're glad you did. Having those extra supplies already stored in your warehouse when the worst of winter arrived is the only reason things held together as well as they did.
As it was the supplies barely arrived in time. Sleet was pouring down as they offloaded the caravan of supplies into the warehouses, the merchants eager to head back to more civilized stops before they were completely trapped. That was the last you saw of anyone outside the camp for two months.
You went to check on Nerissa as the weather started to get bad, and she warned you she'd likely be pushed into hibernating. Though you helped her pile leaves and earth up her trunk a little and wrapped some blankets over it, more for your peace of mind than hers. It felt odd, but it would be worse to bring her out.
Even on the edge of the sea the temperatures plunged well below freezing. Normally the winter is more of a wet season at your outpost, but this season every drop of the feet of rain you normally receive seemed to have turned to snow. The snow piled up to the very top of your walls. You had to have the men work in shifts to keep areas clear for walking between structures.
You bundled yourself against the cold once and made your way to the lookout towers on the wall to gaze out between snowstorms. It was endless white to the south as far as you could see as if it was the end of the world.
Construction was utterly impossible. Trying to build elevators and cranes on a cliff edge would have been pure suicide, and even digging up frozen ground to work on the wall reinforcement simply wasn't worth the frostbite. Just keeping the roofs from collapsing under the weight of snow was task enough for your workers
You had practically swum your way through the snow to check on Nerissa at one point, and seeing her grove eerily still and so dead was unnerving, her not responding to your arrival with a happy smile. Her tree still seemed to live, though only the upper branches poked from the snow. Trees survive colder winters than this you reminded yourself. You'd had to hurry back to your home though, or you'd have frozen yourself.
The winters at the capital could get colder than this even, though you'd never seen so much snow in your life.
Leo ordered a stop to your men's planned activities mere weeks into the season. The risk of frostbite was simply too severe. He had no doubt that the other side would be holing up in their base as well. Even the wolves were uninterested in playing with you in this weather.
With no steady stream of traffic you couldn't send any messages out to gather information about Adolphine and Edgar as you'd originally intended. At least you could still work on your enchanting while cooped up though. You at least managed to get something put together that you hope will reinforce the ground enough to prevent accidental cave ins and should be able to cover the whole base. It's sort of convincing the dirt it's actually a solid, but it likely won't hold up if someone presses the issue. Enemy sappers will still be able to tunnel through. Though of course you almost pity them tunneling into den of beasts, almost.
Olivia spent much of her time monopolizing your enchanting bathtub to stay warm, seeming to suffer from the cold even worse than you. Though whether that's a side effect of her condition, or simply because she's not as big as you is hard to say. You often held your back against it just for the warmth, and bundled up in blankets.
The lack of proper fireplaces hadn't been much of a problem until now, but the cold reaped a toll even as your men packed into shelters meant for fewer. Frostbite, hypothermia, and illness swept through the camp. Your camp burned what little wood and charcoal it could produce just to stay alive.
The men spent most of their now freed time trying to stay warm. You're glad for having the tavern so they at least could have some drinks. It helped keep morale from suffering too badly, at least until the alcohol ran out. It's amazing how quickly they swung towards fatalism at that point.
Leo kept them busy doing whatever he could come up with just so they wouldn't have too much free time though. Whatever make work he could come up with, even beyond the real work of shoveling snow. Keeping morale up through the winter was definitely a skill he had, though he privately admitted he'd never been buried quite like this. Despite his best efforts casualties mounted and supplies dwindled.
Finally when it seemed like you were going to starve or freeze the storms have let up. The skies are clear, at least for now, even if the air is still freezing cold. With more than a man's height in snow on the roads though it could be another month before the merchants begin to move on their own again. With the supplies so depleted you're not sure you could hold until then.
You hope your father will send some sleds out to bring supplies, but you're not sure you can count on that. He probably doesn't keep close enough track of your outpost to know your supplies have run out. Kaleb almost certainly will delay his own travel until things have thawed a bit more.
You could send a unit, likely the skirmishers to retrieve food and bring it back for you, though that would be risking that they could make it through the snow there and back before you starved, or didn't just take the money and run. You could also take the entire camp and set out to try to get to somewhere with food. Who knows how many you'd lose on the march though, especially the noncombatants. It might end up killing you all faster if there's another storm just waiting for you to leave your shelters.
Though there's also a certain dangerous temptation. Nerissa is in hibernation, so you suspect that most of the plants of the Overgrowth are as well. It might be your best chance ever to try to enter the center of the forest, where tales have it that no man ever returns from.
[] Wait for relief
[] Send someone to bring supplies
[] Evacuate the camp
[] Forest Expedition [High risk]
(As always write ins are allowed. I expect for instance that there are many different ways you could combine these options with various units.)
(Current casualties 10% all except specialist units, morale drops 1 rank all, rampant illness inflicting an additional malus.)
AN: Leo's a competent captain so when the snow is this deep he just says: nope, no one's leaving to seek certain frostbite. This represents harshest winter in a century level, and you don't even have indoor fireplaces. You're lucky it's not worse. This could have been mitigated by a doctor and fireplaces. Though you'd have still been shut in your camp. I also neglected to give an option to fill the warehouse with supplies in advance, so I gave some compromise there. Though you've never had the money to store up a season worth of supplies in advance anyway.
Casualties can still potentially get worse.
I didn't get to run this update past Megrisvernin for editing, so there might be some revisions in that respect. We did talk about the broad strokes though. This is a painful setback, but it is survivable. It certainly makes hiring Kaleb to knock the orcs back for a while even better.
[X] Forest Expedition [High risk]
-[X] Prioritize food gathering, most of the wildlife is going to be hibernating if even a dryad is doing so, no easier time to snag a lot of much needed meat.
Sounds like an 'all in' option in our present circumstances. But unless the 'high risk' disguises trap option, there is a chance to win big. And I am awfully tempted...
If we fail the forest expedition I imagine morale will just collapse and it might be all over. I'm not sure if it is worth it when it might be safer to hunker down and have someone get supplies.
We can diversify our efforts? Send someone back home to retrieve supplies... possibly with the promise of doubling their pay (for this turn only) upon their return to prevent desertion. They would have less reason to desert once they reach someone, since by then they would be fed and warm again. They could also bring back a healer to relieve the rest of our force (I mean, we didn't get to spend our money anyway), though that would require an officer to go with them. Thankfully, we have two, Olivia and Leo.
Would be less mouths to feed, too.
The rest of us could try and make do with whatever we find in the forest.
