Ah yes, the competition between man and machine is always fun.

I recalled there was a case where the man won but he died later due to overexertion.
 
Ah yes, the competition between man and machine is always fun.

I recalled there was a case where the man won but he died later due to overexertion.

The story John Henry is one of the greatest folklore stories ever laid down in my opinion. Short, sweet, and tragic. A personal favorite of mine.

As always, it's bittersweet to see Anna and Natasha together, bitter to see all the effort Anna puts into being as normal as possible and fall so short, but that makes it all the sweeter to see the real love and care she puts into caring for Tasha and making sure Tasha understands what she is thinking and 'feeling' while also helping Tasha present her thoughts and feelings clearly to her back so she can understand.
 
"Have you ever made something without immediate combat applications, mother? Or, by intent at least?"

Anna paused, and blinked once, and then turned around on her stool.

"Have I caused you distress by having you bed in my chambers, surrounded by such things?" She tilted her head as she looked her daughter up and down, immediately catching the flush on still chubby cheeks and momentary widening of eyes before the child did their best at moderating herself. "You can still take up my offer to be housed at Castle Wulfenburg-,"

"No!" Natasha yelped, eyes bugging out slightly before she took a long deep breathe and inhaled and exhaled slowly. "No," she repeated, once more at moderate volume. "I apologize for interrupting and raising my voice unnecessarily, mother."
Awww, Anna trying so hard to be a good mother using mostly pure logic and its hard. But she is trying and her daughter is helping make up the difference.

And sad fact is that weapons are always in demand in a violent world like Mallus, so less time for quality of life inventions and such.
"May...I sit in your lap?" Natasha looked up at her, eyes curiously managing to seem larger despite that being physically unlikely to have changed.

"Yes," Anna shrugged, and felt as soft fingers and toes dug into her slightly as Natasha clambered up, sitting the bull in her own now much higher lap.
So cute!
"Mother is doing final testing," a quiet voice answered from - shockingly - below Hagrid's eyeline, at which point his heart leapt into his throat before he realized it was the dutiful and quiet Tasha von Hohenzollern speaking.

Well. Usually quiet. There was a curious and adorable little band of barely repressed excitement in her voice.

"Final testing?"

"I'LL NOT LOSE TO SOME TECHNICAL DO-WIZARDRY!" Polls shouted. "BRING ME ANOTHER BOWL AND WHISK AND HOLD THE BLOODY BOWLS STEADY!"

As two prep cooks brought said bowls, and more eggs, Tasha answered him.

"A new invention. To help you mix items without requiring basket byproducts for cooking utensils. Slightly more expensive, but we are relatively sure that with a modicum of care and maintenance that they will last longer and will be easier to clean."
Professional pride vs technical improvement, lol.
And he felt in his old heart a righteous thumping. A better kitchen. A cleaner kitchen. Faster, better, more even cooking. Oh, the whisk makers did their best, but the chaos of nature and randomness of hands won out a lot of the time. Oh, Esmeralda, what a wonder it was.
Truly Hagrid knows anything that makes cooking better is nothing but a good thing.
And in the end, Tasha von Hohenzollern did end up walking out with a healthy little purse, a lighter heart, and a smile on her face.

Anna von Hohenzollern simply walked out, her daughter holding her hand, and an exclusive production and distribution agreement signed with Hagrid Baggins of the Grand Kitchen and Cult of Esmeralda. After all, she owned no estates, unlike her non-magically touched siblings. She took no salary at the school, and largely relied entirely upon the school and her family's funding for any projects she might have. It was small scale, for now. Luxury items. Impossible to reproduce on a large scale given the materials and expertise required. But nonetheless, the registration was made in the annals of the school of a new invention.

This one with two Hohenzollerns marked as the creators, a mother and daughter.
Awwwww, my heart. So glad to see Anna and Nat bonding together as always, though also makes me wonder what the family might look like if the father survived.

But yeah, glad to see they make non-violent tools as hobbies. Luxury goods for quality of life improvements always has a market, and something important for them both to have since no lands and such of their own.
 
It is a sweet story a bit of a shame we only really develop weapons but it's the world we live in. Unless we have some serious reason like with the drill our efforts better spend elsewhere, trough i wonder if we can figure out a better carriage and better "Tires".
 
Polls Pocklefeather said to the Head Chef
A Man aint nothing but a man
but if you bring that MAWD round,
i'll beat it fair and honest,
i'll die with my hand whisk in my hand
 
That was nice.

If the Empire's engineering is nearly mono-focused upon warfare, I imagine there's probably a bevvy of low-hanging non-military fruit available.
 
I wonder if somebody should invent a mechanical reaper binder. This can give a boost to agricultural productivity
Even if somebody does, that somebody will face the Cult of Taal. Much like Ostland has yet to really do on the Seed Drill, and other possible agriculture developments.
A VERY Careful Study: The Cult of Taal is well known for its distaste for many 'modern' creations and ideas that have taken root throughout not just the Empire but the Old World. Their known scripture even specifically says things like 'do not clad yourself in metal' and 'avoid firearms and other works of science'. Now, yes, firearms are historically somewhat unreliable, but the simple fact of the matter is that you'd much rather some nice metal plate and a metal shield against an orc choppa than simple animal hide. And, furthermore, it's somewhat confusing as to why they banned 'works of science' when you are somewhat sure that 'works of science' weren't really much of a thing back when Sigmar walked around. You could be wrong on that front, but the point remains. You respect Taal, of course you do. Anyone sensible does. But you can't help but be struck by how flatly they refuse to engage on the matters of…advancing civilization, it could be phrased. The Cult of Rhya, on the other hand…technically, very technically…does not precisely have the same restrictions. They've been the Cult of Taal and Rhya, historically, for a long, long time. But there are clear delineation of duties and purposes. And, aside from certain odd convictions, they typically have a reputation for pragmatism. If you could, perhaps, study the theology enough to come up with an argument to have the Cultists of Rhya further support certain 'works of science' so long as they focus on agriculture, rather than 'just' tolerate them as you've managed so far, surely there could be some benefit. After all, is Rhya not the Goddess of cultivated fields, the farm and ranch her realm? Cultivating fields with tools of metal is already accepted, after all. But seeding drills. Other such potential things in the future? Who knows? Better to know ahead of time, though. Cost: 500. Time: 2 Years. Reward: Study completed on possibilities of Cult of Rhya, and Rhya alone, supporting certain acts of 'science' in contravention to Cult of Taal and Rhya disdain. Possible further repercussions. Chance of Success: 65%

Hopefully we can DD "A VERY Careful Study" when we get back to the main turns.
 
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Non-Violent Applications
I foresee engineer halflings in the future.
... Ones with Ogre henchemen.

They started with the soup tank and succeeded.
Now they're going to be competing with Anna.
(May Esmeralda warm her soul.)

This loss shall be avenged! Halflings take kitchen matters quite seriously.
I wonder if somebody should invent a mechanical reaper binder. This can give a boost to agricultural productivity
Even if somebody does, that somebody will face the Cult of Taal. Much like Ostland has yet to really do on the Seed Drill, and other possible agriculture developments.
Anna has doomspheres and doomspinners already. It's just a minor redesign.
 
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Ana has doomspheres and doomspinners already. It's just a minor redesign.
Right now, the Empire barely has reproducible steam engines or ICEs, and both are basically artesian work hand crafted by master engineers. And you think even a collective of farmers could afford even one machine with either a steam engine or ICE?

Just because the ruler of Ostland can afford such for military equipment doesn't mean peasant farmers can. Come back in another 200 years when the Empire starts hitting the Industrial Revolution like otl.
 
Not unless those are sponsored by us and also runs into the whole Rhya issue (not forgetting that we still have that behind the scenes with our drill seeds.).
 
th
Right now, the Empire barely has reproducible steam engines or ICEs, and both are basically artesian work hand crafted by master engineers. And you think even a collective of farmers could afford even one machine with either a steam engine or ICE?

Just because the ruler of Ostland can afford such for military equipment doesn't mean peasant farmers can. Come back in another 200 years when the Empire starts hitting the Industrial Revolution like otl.

When I was thinking of a mechanical reaper I was thinking of the horse drawn reapers of the early 19th century that lasted until the mid 20th century
 
th


When I was thinking of a mechanical reaper I was thinking of the horse drawn reapers of the early 19th century that lasted until the mid 20th century
As mentioned, the Empire right now doesn't have the technology or industry to make something like that cheaply enough for the average peasant farmer or even farming commune. Wait a one or two hundred years, we know that by the Karl Franz era that the richer and more developed parts of the Empire have been industrializing for a while, so that looks like something to pop up in the late 2400s to early 2500s(probably in Reikland).
 
Sure sure, but the Empire is running a 16th-17th century tech base. So pare down your expectations.

More 30 years war than industrial age.
As mentioned, the Empire right now doesn't have the technology or industry to make something like that cheaply enough for the average peasant farmer or even farming commune. Wait a one or two hundred years, we know that by the Karl Franz era that the richer and more developed parts of the Empire have been industrializing for a while, so that looks like something to pop up in the late 2400s to early 2500s(probably in Reikland).
honestly this looks like something the empire can make right now, its looks to be entirely just gears (not even small, complicated ones) and pulleys either powered by the motion of the horses or a peddle operated and powered by the farmer while he is sitting, pretty sure our death spinners and vapor/steam engines are more complicated than that. this is one those inventions that hasn't happened not because we can't make it but rather no one has thought about it.
 
honestly this looks like something the empire can make right now, its looks to be entirely just gears (not even small, complicated ones) and pulleys either powered by the motion of the horses or a peddle operated and powered by the farmer while he is sitting, pretty sure our death spinners and vapor/steam engines are more complicated than that. this is one those inventions that hasn't happened not because we can't make it but rather no one has thought about it.
More the lack of the industrial complexes to allow mass production, and the Cult of Taal problem (science bad!).

The vaporcyclers research action upon completion could likely solve the mass production issue, as that would mean the school has created a thing they want to mass produce with a lot of levers, cogs, and pulleys, rather than more guns and cannons in mass production. As I strongly believe the vaporcyclers would not turn out like the Vapor Tank where we can only build one Vapor Tank a year. And unlike the doomspheres, and doomspinners, vaporcyclers might be able to be set-up so users don't need to be a engineer.

The Vapor Tank takes more than just having the right tech to create, you need the right people, the money upkeep, and acknowledge there's a soft cap because of game balance.
 
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When I was thinking of a mechanical reaper I was thinking of the horse drawn reapers of the early 19th century that lasted until the mid 20th century
Bit early for that, and right now we are already trying to spread the seed drills around to mixed success. That's already gonna help a lot in farming, but gotta get people used to it first for it to become widespread.
 
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