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[Iituem]

That's right, it's a Countries at War clone!*  This one is heavily inspired by Master of Magic, to the point where we're pretty much infringing on copyright with elements of the backstory.  The short version is that everyone starts out with dark ages technology at best, but that magic has recently returned to the world as well (as a tech option).  I think by now we know pretty much how this goes.

_{*Though after this many modifications, it's getting hard to tell.}

Background

The world of Arcanus was once a wild place, filled with barbaric races struggling for survival.  Several great wizards arose, each seeking dominion and driving their people to glory and success whilst trying to destroy the others.  One wizard succeeded, casting the Spell of Mastery and gaining control over all the world's magic.  The spell gave him godlike power and enabled him to create the Arcanan Empire, bringing together the core of the world under his despotic rule.  As a direct result of the spell of mastery however, no other being was capable of spellcasting and so the foundation of wizardry upon which his empire had been built crumbled, making the empire completely dependent on him and his mundane armies to keep it in check.

The wizard ruled for half a century before dying of unknown causes.  The Spell of Mastery was not dispelled by his death and so magic remained barred from mortals, but in his five hundred years of rule technology and progress had ground to a halt.  For five hundred years after, the Empire tried to hold itself together under martial might alone but slowly crumbled from rebellion and mismanagement to the shell it is today.

Recently however a great star burst into being above the world and burned for thirty days.  Across Arcanus, oracles interpreted this as a sign that the Spell of Mastery had at last been broken and that the potential for magic had returned again.  Whether or not they sought to claim the power of magic for their own, the event spurred on many rulers who might otherwise have remained quiet.  The return of magic spurred those fiefdoms to war.



Game Related Information

Spoiler: General Play (click to show/hide)

1. All countries/groups start out at the same level, with £500 in cash, a starting income of £500 (from a Palace) and 4 Light Macemen Divisions (regardless of whether they have the resources to build more). New players get a bonus income of £50*(Number of turn since the game started) for their first 10 turns.  You do not have to pay income on the macemen for your first turn.
2. Alliances can be made and broken at will.
3. Land units only have two movement points, air and sea units have varying amounts. Moving from one region to the next costs one movement point. Ships can move on both coastal and sea regions.  Travel on roads costs half a movement point.

Spoiler: Combat (click to show/hide)

1. Battles are conducted in part by the random number generator.  Units are paired up and a score between 1-100 is determined for each unit involved in combat by rolling 3d100 and dividing the score by 3.  This provides a Gaussian distribution that favours most final scores being in the region 40-60.

2. Individual bonuses to attack and defense are added to each side's score.  Someone must always be the aggressor in a situation (i.e. they moved into a territory to attack it) and will gain any bonuses to attack.  The defender will gain any bonuses to defense.

2a.  The combat engine will automatically pick those units with the best advantage to the attacker to engage in combat that the defender cannot counter effectively.  Even if a tank is your best general unit, if the defender has anti-tank weaponry the game may send infantry instead because their finalised bonus to attack is higher after taking into account defensive advantages.

3. If one unit beats the other unit's score by 12 or more, the losing unit is destroyed and the winning unit is able to fight again.  If victory or defeat is by less than 12, both units are wounded and unable to fight for the remainder of the battle.

4. Whichever side still has active, undamaged units when all combat is over is the winner.  All damaged units on the losing side are destroyed at the end of combat unless they are able to retreat (see 5).

4a.  It is possible for both sides to end on a stalemate in which both sides' units are all wounded.  In this situation, whoever won the last round of combat (however slight a win that may be) counts as the winner.

4b.  Although the winning side retains its units, wounded units remain unable to compete in combat for the entire next round as this time is spent healing.

5.  Wounded infantry units on the losing side of a battle have a 20% chance of retreating to a neighbouring friendly territory (or nearest friendly territory within their remaining move, if it is not adjacent).  Flying units and cavalry have higher retreat chances.  There is also a 5% chance (modifiable with technology) of the victors capturing wounded units intact.  NB:  This applies equally to neutral units, who may retreat to other neutral territories to bolster their defences.

5a.  Naval units have a 30% chance of retreat and 15% chance of capture.

5b.  Certain units (e.g. pirates, slavers) increase the capture chance vs enemy units.

6.  During naval (ship-to-ship) combat, infantry and cavalry units may not normally take part in the combat and are confined to being passengers due to the special requirements of fighting at sea.  Amphibious units, ranged units, naval units, casters and flying units may all fight normally during these combats.

Spoiler: Units (click to show/hide)

1. Units normally become available on the turn after they are bought.  Units generally have regular maintenance costs attached to them per turn.

2. Mercenaries can be bought on the same turn, but cost twice as much.  Unless a mercenary company comes to you to make a specific offer, you can only buy units that you have the technology to build.

3. Units can be upgraded to other units of the same or similar type (e.g. spearmen to swordsmen, slingers to archers, archers to musketeers, light cavalry to heavy cavalry but not spearmen to cavalry or archers to dragons).  Upgrading units costs 125% of the difference between the two types.

4. Any technological advances (e.g. improved armour) are automatically applied to units on the same turn they are researched.  Unless specified, this has no extra cost.  This does not apply to advances that provide a new unit entirely.

5. Ground troops can entrench for a +8 modifier to defense, but need one turn of detrenching before they can do anything else.

6. Island-hopping within an ocean zone is acceptable, but ground-based invading units without boats or planes suffer a -8 modifier to attack.

7. Crossing through enemy territory to attack another territory beyond requires you to 'mask' the enemy forces there.  You must send an equal number of troops into the intermediary territory to 'tie up' the defenders; three spearmen will work as well as three heavy swordsmen (though they may not survive the attack).  Once the defenders are tied up, the rest of the army can move through.  Whether or not your masking forces capture the territory does not affect the success of the masking action.

8. Crossing through neutral territories (i.e. not owned by players) will require you to either mask movement as above or bribe the country with £500 to ignore your passage.  Crossing through player countries is a matter of negotiation between players.

9. Some units can cross through neutral territories without penalty (e.g. caravans, spies).  These units may or may not be able to cross through enemy territories as well without needing to be masked, but will usually have a chance of being discovered.

10.  With a few exceptions, only infantry and heavies are able to capture territories.  Ships may not capture territories.  Most air units may not capture territories.

Spoiler: Heroes (click to show/hide)

Heroes are a special type of unit consisting of a single character of reknowned skill and leadership.  They do not fight individually as units but are instead attached to other units in battle to provide leadership bonuses to attack and defence, amongst other potential benefits.  If all other units in a battle are wounded, killed or otherwise incapacitated, heroes will be captured by the enemy side rather than fight.

The exception to this rule is fights between individual heroes.  Whenever led units clash, there is a good chance (50%) that the heroes of both sides will meet in single combat first (using their general offensive/defensive bonuses as their attack/defence scores, plus any single-combat specific bonuses).  During this sort of single combat one or both heroes may be wounded, killed or escape the battle unharmed.  Once single combat has been resolved, heroes still able to lead will return to their units and continue the battle as before.

Heroes are quite difficult to kill.  When a led unit is wounded or destroyed there is only a very slight (0.5%) chance that the hero unit will die, though a larger chance that it will be wounded (10% if unit wounded, 50% if unit destroyed).  Wounded heroes are captured at the end of play if the enemy side proves victorious in the battle.  If the hero unit escapes the destruction of its former led unit unscathed it will immediately attach itself to the next-strongest unit and lead that instead.

Captured heroes will work for the capturing side once they have spent a turn healing from their wounds.  Wounded or undefended heroes left in a territory that is conquered will also convert to the conquering side.

Initial Hero units may be purchased for £600 by a side, have an upkeep of £30 and grant a general leadership bonus to offense and defense of +5 to any units they are stacked with.  Heroes have 2 move, or the move of whatever unit they are stacked with, whichever is higher.

Single Combat Mechanics:  Single combat lasts for three (hidden) rounds, during which both heroes attack each other once per round.  Heroes have a hidden 'hits' stat which replenishes at the start of a turn (nominally maxed at 3); each successful hit in single combat reduces this stat by 1.  This carries through between single combats in the same game turn, so it is possible for a hero to survive the first couple of single combats unscathed and be wounded in the third.

When all hits have been expended for a hero, he is either wounded or has a chance of being killed.  This chance of killing is higher than for ordinary combat, but still low (2%).  It is possible for both heroes to be wounded or killed during combat, as it is possible for both heroes to score hits on their opponent whilst being hit themselves.

Spoiler: Research and Technology (click to show/hide)

Research is blind.  Until you discover a technology you do not know in advance how long it will take to research it.  Each turn, research being invested in will be checked against a roll of 1-100.  If the result is lower than the research threshold (see below formula) the technology is researched.

Threshold:  £ spent / 1000 * base cap

i.e. If the base cap is 70 and you spend £1000 on research, the roll must be 70 or lower to succeed.  If the base cap is 70 and you spend £500 on research, the roll must be 35 or lower to succeed.

Every turn that £500 or more is invested into a technology by anyone, the base cap will rise by 1.  For every £150 above £500 invested into a technology (in one sitting), the base cap will increase by a further 1.  Each side that masters the technology will permanently raise the base cap by 10.  Once 5 sides have mastered the technology, it will enter the Public Domain and become available to all sides.


Technologies are split loosely by whether they are Pure or Applied.  Pure technologies are often required to research new Applied technologies but may have little practical application.  They are usually easier to research.  Applied technologies almost always have a direct application (hence the name).  There is no predefined technology tree, but it is reasonable to expect newly proposed technologies to follow a logical progression.  If you try and research a technology that is too advanced, you may end up researching a prerequisite for it instead.

Magic, for all extents and purposes, is a form of technology.


Burning the Books:  It is possible to completely eradicate a technology you know within your territory, provided that technology has not entered the public domain.  Doing so erases the technology from your records and sets back the research cap by 10 for anyone else trying to research it, and reduces the number of sides that possess it (making it harder to get into the public domain).  To get the technology back, you will have to research it again from scratch.

Any units or buildings constructed with the lost technology will remain intact, but no more can be constructed without the lost tech.

Spoiler: Economics, Resources and Trade (click to show/hide)

Money is important.  Not only do you have to pay to raise armies, you have to pay to keep them going as well.  Also you might decide to actually invest in the land you conquer, if only for a laugh.  Each territory provides revenue per turn, representative of the wealth of the region.  Conquering new territories is an easy source of new revenue, but existing territories can be invested in to improve the economy of the region as well.

Basic investment is just putting money into improving infrastructure, funding businesses and generally improving the lot of the futile peasants that inhabit your demesne.  Basic investment improves the economy, producing revenue equal to one tenth of the total invested amount.  Basic investment can only raise revenue to a cap of £250/turn (after investing £2500).  This cap can be raised by research.  Income from basic investment is referred to as 'basic income'.

NB:  A player's starting country begins with no investment, but the Palace building grants them £500/turn.  This income does not count towards the cap from basic investment.

Buildings can also increase revenue.  Some will increase revenue by a flat amount, others will add a percentage of the basic investment revenue.  Buildings such as granaries and mines tend to contribute in this manner.  Generally only one building of the same type is permitted per territory.  Buildings may additionally be restricted by infrastructure (see Industry below).


Resources can be found in some territories.  The main use for resources is that resource-specific buildings (such as farms or mines) can be constructed in that territory for extra revenue.  Some resources (such as iron) are actually downright necessary for weapons production - if you do not have it or have access to it, you cannot produce the units dependent on it.


Trade

Trade can be conducted between player countries that are at peace and agree to a trade treaty.  Players in a trade treaty receive 10% of the other player's total income (before trade bonuses) in trade per turn.  This 10% is a bonus and not subtracted from the trading partner's income.  It is possible to have multiple trade treaties; e.g. if Albia has trade links with Bulmeria and Cattan, Albia will receive a bonus of 10% of both Bulmeria and Cattan's total income before trade, whilst Bulmeria and Cattan will each receive a bonus of 10% of Albia's total income before trade.  Trade treaties also give both sides access to the other side's resources for the purposes of unit construction etc.

To enter a trade treaty, a trade route must be established.  Provided any of the territories of two player countries are joined either by roads or are adjacent to one another, a trade route can be established automatically.  Otherwise, sending a caravan from one country to another can establish a trade route in addition to the normal benefits of caravan journeys.

A caravan sent to another territory to conduct a trade mission will generate £300 per territory distance from the originating territory to the destination.  e.g. A caravan sent to literally the next territory over will generate a £300 lump sum.  A caravan sent to a destination 5 territories away will generate £1500 in revenue.  Crossing ocean territories via ship count as 3 territories/ocean region for the purposes of calculating revenue (i.e. if you cross 2 land regions and 2 ocean regions, it counts as crossing 8 territories and you gain £2400 in revenue).  Travelling the 'long way round' will not gain any more cash upon arrival - you will only gain money based on the shortest distance the caravan could have travelled, taking into account blockades and enemy empires in the path.

Caravans travel at a movement rate of 2 and can pass through neutral territories without requiring masking or bribery.  Caravan missions can only be sent to player territories.  Caravans from a particular side cannot have one of their own side's territories as the final destination (internal trade is presumed to be free).  Successfully destroying a caravan, on the other hand, will net you £800 free of charge.

NB:  A single unit may be attached to a caravan as a caravan guard.  Passing through neutral territories with a caravan guard will incur a charge of £50 per caravan+guard.  If you mount an invasion with troops posing as caravan guard, the neutral territory will immediately attack your 'guards' on principle, even if they are not the country being invaded.


Trade Routes & Blockades

It is possible to blockade trade routes of an enemy nation by placing armed troops in the path of the route, forcing it to take a different direction.  If a land-based trade route or sea-based trade route is completely blocked from reaching its destination, the trade route collapses; a land-based route will not switch automatically to a sea-based route or vice-versa.  Portions of a trade route which cross land or sea will not change their docking points in response to a blockade, so blockading the port or bay of such a route is a good way to prevent the route from functioning.  Taking a territory by force will also blockade a route, as trade routes cannot pass through your territory without your permission.

Trade routes blockaded in this way technically continue to exist until they are willingly dissolved, but neither side gains the benefit of the route so long as a blockade remains in effect.  Once a blockade is lifted (e.g. by destroying the bandits blocking the route or the naval blockade, or taking the disputed territory causing the blockade) the trade route will resume on the same turn.

Blockades tend to work particularly well by sea, as no country is able to control ocean territories directly; ships may be stationed in any ocean territory without penalty, though attempting to station ships in the same waters as an enemy will likely lead to combat.


Roads

Roads may be constructed by engineers.  One engineer unit will take two turns to construct a road in a territory.  Roads provide a movement bonus (requiring only half a movement point to travel across) and can connect countries for trade purposes.


Industry

Some industrial buildings (e.g. mines, farms, sawmills) can only be constructed in regions that possess the requisite resource.  Other industries (e.g. weaving) do not require resources to be constructed in an area.  At the start of the game, players may only build one industrial building per territory (i.e. a farm or a weaving guild, but not both).  These buildings can be improved through technology without adding additional buildings, but in order to add more industries per territory a player must research technologies that improve the infrastructure of his territories.

Spoiler: Misc: Raiding, Loyalty and Religion (click to show/hide)

Raiding:  In addition to simply conquering a territory, you may raid a territory.  If you are victorious against all defenders (or there are no defenders), you capture the entire income for that territory's turn.  Wounded defenders in this sort of skirmish are not executed at the end of battle.  Successful raids also lower the Loyalty of a region.

Loyalty

Loyalty is a new 'hidden' stat for territories.  A new neutral territory will generally have a Loyalty of 0.  Loyalty may be raised, primarily through constructing different buildings; religious and cultural buildings (entertainment buildings, essentially) will raise Loyalty in a region.  Having a state religion will also raise Loyalty in a region.  Loyalty has two main effects:

Upkeep Reduction:  Happier, or at least more loyal citizens are willing to work for less out of a sense of patriotism.  Every point of loyalty decreases upkeep for buildings and units in that region by a certain percentage.  Negative loyalty will increase upkeep accordingly.

Subversion Resistance:  Certain units such as diplomats will gain the ability to sabotage or convert units or regions over to their side (requires research).  High loyalty decreases the chances of success.  Negative loyalty increases it.

Loyalty can be lowered through outside intervention.  Units such as diplomats can lower loyalty by inciting rebellion amongst the populace.  Being raided by neutral troops or rival troops who do not conquer the region will also lower loyalty.  Loyalty lost in this way heals after 10 turns, or £350 can be spent per loyalty point lost to recover it.

Newly captured regions have their base loyalty set back to 0, after which bonuses from buildings etc will be re-applied.  There is a 50% chance per building for cultural or religious buildings that they will be destroyed if the region is captured by military force.  Subverted or traded regions will suffer no such risk.

Some buildings (such as Slavers) will reduce loyalty by their very presence and the ill effect they have on the populace.

Spoiler: Maps (click to show/hide)

Territories are named by region for convenience, e.g. Sorrel West, Bleater North, Upper Ichor, Central Farland.  When indicating territories, it will help immensely to use this guide.  Territories not marked with any letters (e.g. Biting, Ester, Greyland) are single-territory regions.

The map wraps East-West but not North-South (Arcanus is a globe, not a torus).  However, any territory touching a pole (i.e. the northmost or southmost border of the map) is connected to any other territory touching that pole.  e.g. Central Terrendale is connected to Central Icedale, West Northron is connected to Cloud.  Cloud is not connected to Presst.

Key

N - North
S - South
W - West
E - East
C - Central
U - Upper
L - Lower

General Territory Map


General Territory Map, Enhanced NSEW Signs


Turn 0 Political Map


At the start of the game, only the Old Empire is in existence.

Turn 0 Wealth Map


The wealthiest parts of the world are in green, the poorest in red.  The defences of these areas is appropriate to their wealth.  In the worst areas, defences might consist of only 2-4 spearmen.


Turn 0 Geography Map


Key

Yellow - Desert
Light Blue - Tundra/Taiga
Grey - Mountains
Brown - Hills
Dark Green - Heavy forest, jungle
Light Green - Grasslands, plains, steppe, swamp

Resources available in different areas will usually correspond to the terrain type in which they are found (e.g. grain in lowlands, iron in hills/mountains, game in forests/tundra).


Old Style Map of the World


Aside from being a roleplay aid and giving some names for the continents, this map doesn't actually help much at all.  I just felt it was cool.

Spoiler: Application (click to show/hide)

Just fill out the form below.  You will definitely want to read the maps to get territories.  Remember that unless you plan on starting in an island like Biting, the territory name will be something like 'Sordell West'.

Empire Name:
Leader Name:
Starting Territory:
Colour:

Advice on Strategy

Why not have everyone start out with equal portions of territory (a la Risk) and have them duke it out straight away for conquest?  Well, because this is really a 4X game, not a conquest game.  You can play it as a conquest game and you can have a lot of fun that way, but there are other routes.  It's oversimplifying, but there are essentially three strategies to follow in 4X games:

Momentum/Conquest:  Perhaps the simplest strategy and common amongst more aggressive players, this strategy relies on building up momentum with one's war machine; taking some weak territories to get stronger, then using the proceeds from those to hit stronger and stronger countries until you are in control of a large portion of the world.  This strategy relies on quick movement and never letting anyone get a rest.  It can lead to quick and total victories, but by focusing entirely on one's army one runs the risk of falling behind technologically and economically.

Builder:  Builders play a long game.  Rather than engaging in rapid expansion, Builders invest in the territory they have, research technologies and turn what little land they do control into both fortresses and economic powerhouses.  Only once they have a powerful technological or economic advantage do they tend to venture out to claim more land, which often they will try to improve as much as their initial plot.  Builders can be far more dangerous than Momentum players if you meet them late in the game, by which time they will have stacked all the advantages on their side.  It may not matter if you have an army of a hundred thousand orcs with spears if they're up against a battalion of giant killer robots.

Hybrid:  In short, everything else.  A hybrid strategy relies on finding the balance between imperial expansion and perfectionist development.  Hybrid players tend to feel the flow of the game and respond, though they will often have an overall strategy they pursue as well.

Spoiler: Turn Template (click to show/hide)

Territories

Finances

Construction/Recruitment

Research

Troop Movements


Sample Turn:

Territories

Albia North (£700/turn): 2 Light Swordsmen.  Palace, Mines.
Albia South (£340/turn): 1 Heavy Maceman.  Farms.
Bulmeria Central (£24/turn): 4 Archers.

Finances

Revenue: £1064 (from territories)
Upkeep: -£460 (unit expenditure)

Remaining:  £604

Construction/Recruitment

Construct Farms in Bulmeria Central: -£500

Research

Research Mining II: -£100

Troop Movements

Move 2 Archers from Bulmeria Central to Albia South.
Send 1 Light Swordsman from Albia North to attack Lower Cattan.

Additional Rules are at the bottom of this first page of posts!

[Iituem]

Spoiler:  Buildings List (click to show/hide)

Buildings

Unless otherwise stated, only one building may be constructed per territory.  Unless otherwise stated, resource requirements mean that the resource must be present in that territory.

NB:  Until technology improves a player's infrastructure, only one industrial building may be built per territory.  This building may be improved, but a territory can only support so many different industries without advanced infrastructure.

Palace:  £1000.  Generates £500/turn.  Only one may exist per empire.  Conquered palaces are destroyed.  Constructing a new palace destroys the old one and relocates the capital.  All sides start with a palace.  Palace income and only palace income counts as basic income for the purposes of determining bonuses or penalties based on basic income (e.g. from resource bonuses, forges etc).  All other building revenue bonuses count as industry bonuses (e.g. the flat fees from owning farms and mines).

Farms:  £500.  Requires grain or similar.  Generates £100/turn.  Tech: Agriculture I (Public)

Improved Farm.  £1000.  Requires and replaces Farm.  Increases the industry bonus from the Farm by +£200.  Tech:  Agriculture II

Stables:  £1000.  Requires horses or similar.  Generates £200/turn.  Tech: Agriculture I (Public)

Hunting Lodge:  £1000.  Requires game or similar.  Generates £200/turn.  Tech:  Agriculture I (Public)

Pasture:  £1000.  Requires cattle or similar.  Generates £200/turn.  Tech:  Agriculture I (Public)

Mines:  £1000.  Requires iron, copper, coal, stone or other minable resources.  Generates £200/turn.  Tech: Mining I (Public)  If main industry is metalworking, does not take up an industry slot.

Forge:  £400.  Requires mines.  Generates an industry bonus of 32% over basic income per turn.  Stacks with but does not multiply with any other industry bonuses.  Tech: Metalworking I (Public)  If main industry is mining, does not take up an industry slot.

Smithy:  £600.  Requires and replaces forge.  Increases bonus to basic income from +32% to +50%.  Bonus increases by a further +4% for each of the following resources it has access to; Iron, Coal.  Bonus increases by a further +6% for the following resources it has access to; Copper, Silver, Gold.  Tech:  Metalworking II.

Smelter:  £1000.  Upkeep £50.  Requires iron, copper or coal.  Provides an industry bonus of +75% to basic income.  Bonus improves by 5% with access to each resource; iron, copper, coal.  Counts as a separate industry to the mining and metalworking industries.  Tech: Metallurgy I

Bronzeworks:  £1500.  Upkeep £100.  Requires and replaces Smelter.  Improves industry bonus to 90% of base income.  Bonus of 5% for access to iron, coal.  Bonus of 10% for access to copper.  Tech:  Metallurgy II

Glassmakers:  £200.  Upkeep £10.  Must be built on a coast.  Provides an industry bonus of 25% of basic income.  Provides the glass resource.  Tech: Glassmaking I

Glassworks:  £500.  Upkeep £30.  Requires and replaces glassmakers.  Increases industry bonus to 42% of basic income.  Provides the glass resource.  Tech: Glassmaking II

Artists:  £200.  Upkeep £10.  Produces the Art trade good resource.  Provides a +25% industry bonus to base income.  Tech: Painting.

Artist's Studio:  £500.  Upkeep £30.  Requires and replaces Artists.  Increases the industry bonus to 42%.  Tech:  Sculpture.

Hideworkers:  £200.  Upkeep £10.  Requires game, pork, cattle, sheep, ivory, horses or camels.  Produces an industry bonus of 30% of basic income.  Tech: Leathercraft I

Tannery:  £500.  Upkeep £30.  Requires and replaces Hideworkers.  Increases industry bonus to 48% of basic income.  Tech: Leathercraft II.

Brewery:  £200.  Upkeep £10.  Requires Farm.  Provides industry bonus of 20% over basic income.  Provides Beer resource.  Tech: Fermentation I

Brewer's Guild:  £500.  Upkeep £30.  Requires and replaces Brewery.  Increases industry bonus to 42% of basic income.  Provides the Beer resource.  Tech: Fermentation II

Bakery:  £200.  Upkeep £20.  Requires Farm.  Provides industry bonus of 30% over basic income. Tech: Fermentation I

Baker's Guild:  £500.  Upkeep £50.  Requires and replaces Bakery.  Increases industry bonus to 50% of basic income.  Tech: Fermentation II

Windmill:  £1000.  Requires Farm.  Provides an industry bonus of £200.  Counts as a new industry.  Tech:  Mechanics II

Slavers: £500.  Produces the Slaves resource.  Produces an industry bonus of £200/turn.  Reduces loyalty in the region by -1.  Tech:  Slavery I

Walls:  £300.  Upkeep £10/turn.  Provides a bonus of +6 to all defense vs ground units within the territory.  Siege Resist 1.  Tech:  Masonry I (Public)

Fortifications:  £500.  Upkeep £20/turn.  Requires and replaces Walls.  Provides a bonus of +10 to defense vs ground units within the territory.  Siege Resist 2.  Tech: Masonry II.

Keep:  £800.  Upkeep £40.  Requires and replaces Fortifications.  Provides a defensive bonus of +15 vs ground units within the territory.  Siege Resist 4.  Tech:  Masonry III.

Sea Wall:  £400, upkeep £15/turn.  Provides a bonus of +10 vs naval units.  Techs: Coastal Defences I, Masonry I

Fishery:  £500.  Requires fish.  Generates £100/turn.  Tech:  Sea Travel I (Public)

Deep Fishery:  £500.  Requires and replaces fishery.  Generates an additional +£100/turn.  Tech: Sea Travel II.

Sawmill:  £500.  Requires lumber.  Generates £100/turn.  Tech:  Machinery I

Workshop:  £500.  Requires iron, copper or lumber.  Provides a bonus of 28% to basic income.  Bonus increases by 4% for each resource the workshop has access to; iron, copper, lumber.  Tech:  Machinery I

Powered Sawmill:  £1000.  Requires and replaces sawmill.  Generates £200/turn.  Tech:  Machinery II.

Powered Workshop:  £750.  Requires and replaces Workshop.  Improves bonus to basic income from 28% to 70%.  Bonus increases by 12% for each resource the workshop has access to; iron, copper, lumber.  Tech:  Machinery II.

Machine Shop:  £1000.  Upkeep £50.  Requires and replaces Powered Workshop.  Industry bonus increases to 110% of basic income.  Bonus increases by 15% with access to each of the following resources; iron, copper, lumber.  Tech:  Mechanics III

Ranch:  £500.  Requires and replaces Pasture, Stables or Hunting Lodge.  Generates an additional +£100 per turn.  Tech:  Animal Husbandry
*  With Ivory, Ranches allow recruitment of war elephants.

Shrine:  £300.  Upkeep £10.  One per religion in the region, requires a religion present to build.  +1 to territory Loyalty.  Tech: Organised Religion (Public)
A small local shrine to pray at and hold services.

Marketplace:  £300.  Upkeep £50/turn.  Improves bonus to basic income by 10%.  Bonus increases by 2% for each common resource the marketplace has access to.  Bonus increases by 8% for each of the following rare resources; spices, gold, incense, silk, slaves.  Bonus increases by 5% for access to manufactured trade goods (e.g. cloth, beer, pottery, art).

Spoiler: Units (click to show/hide)

Basic Unit Types

Militia Infantry

Spearmen: £210.  Attack 7, Defense 9.  Upkeep £20/turn.
Unarmoured or lightly armoured militia with spears.  Minimal training.

Light Infantry

Mariners.  £650.  Attack 15, Defense 10.  Upkeep £60.  +8 vs naval units.  Amphibious.  Tech: Mariners
Whether sailors who have seen a few battles or vicious pirates, mariners are amongst the most dangerous forces on the high seas.

Skirmishers:  £450.  Attack 15, Defense 14.  Upkeep: £45.  Tech: Infantry Training I.
Skirmishers are lightly armed and armoured infantry trained at using hit-and-run tactics to maximise their offensive ability whilst taking advantage of the freedom of movement their limited armour allows.  Cheap, easy to raise and support en masse.

Javelineers:  £500.  Attack 12, Defense 12.  Negates infantry modifiers by 6.  Upkeep £50/turn.  Tech: Ranged Training I
Lightly armoured runners with balanced wooden javelins, trained in hit-and-run tactics.  Have a distinctive advantage against other types of infantry, particularly non-ranged infantry.

Archers/Slingers: £500.  Attack 12, Defense 18.  Upkeep £50/turn.
Unarmoured infantry trained in the use of shortbows and/or slings.

Light Macemen: £500.  Attack 14, Defense 16.  Requires iron or copper.  Upkeep £50/turn.
Lightly armoured infantry with metal clubs.

Pikemen:  £600.  Attack 12, Defense 14.  Upkeep £65.  Requires iron or copper.  +10 general modifier vs cavalry & heavies.
Lightly armoured infantry with extra-long spears aimed at anti-cavalry combat.

Light Axemen: £625.  Attack 19, Defense 15.  Requires iron or copper.  Upkeep £60/turn.
Lightly armoured infantry with metal axes.

Light Swordsmen: £650.  Attack 18, Defense 18.  Requires iron.  Upkeep £70/turn.
Lightly armoured infantry with swords, usually better trained than ordinary soldiers.

Heavy Infantry

Longbowmen: £840.  Attack 16, Defence 24.  Upkeep £85/turn.
Lightly armoured or unarmoured infantry trained in the use of longbows.

Heavy Mace: £840.  Attack 19, Defence 21.  Requires iron or copper.  Upkeep £85/turn.
Heavily armoured (usually metal) infantry with heavy metal clubs.

Phalanx:  £880.  Attack 18, Defense 23.  Upkeep: £85.  Requires iron or copper.  Tech:  Infantry Training I or Armoury I.
A regiment of infantry equipped with broad metal shields and spears, trained to take up defensive formations at a moment's notice.

Tortoise Phalanx:  £1100.  Attack 18, Defense 23.  Upkeep £120.  Requires iron or copper.  +8 vs ranged units.  Tech: Infantry Training II or Armoury II.
A phalanx trained in specialist anti-archery formations.

Heavy Axe:  £1050.  Attack 25, Defence 20.  Requires iron or copper.  Upkeep £105/turn.
Heavily armoured infantry with large metal axes.

Heavy Sword: £1100.  Attack 23, Defence 23.  Requires iron.  Upkeep £115/turn.
Heavily armoured infantry with large swords, or swords and shields.  Usually better trained than normal soldiers.


Mounted Units/Cavalry

Light Cavalry:  £900.  Attack 18, Defence 18.  Negates infantry modifiers by 4.  Requires horses.  Retreat chance 15%.  Upkeep £90/turn.
Lightly armoured men on fast, light horses with spears.

Heavy Cavalry:  £1400.  Attack 22, Defence 22.  Negates infantry modifiers by 8.  Requires horses.  Requires stables.  Retreat chance 10%.  Upkeep £150/turn.
Better armoured men on heavier horses bred specially for war, usually with some leather barding.  Typically also spears, long clubs or similar reached weapons.

War Elephants:  £1600.  Attack 22, Defence 22.  Negates infantry modifiers by 8.  Negates cavalry modifiers by 4.  Requires ranch, requires ivory.  Retreat chance 10%.  Upkeep £150/turn.
Large beasts, usually carrying men atop a platform with slings or javelins to throw.  Capable of trampling infantry and horses with relative ease.


Non-Cavalry Heavy Units

No mundane heavies yet available.


Machine & Siege Units

Catapult:  £750.  Attack 15, Defense 15.  Siege Power 3.  Ranged.  Tech: Mathematics


Mundane Flying Units

Hail Gliders:  £500.  Attack 0, Defense 0.  Upkeep £40.  Ranged, Buzzer.  Tech: Hail Gliders
Though unarmoured and ill-suited for ranged or aerial combat, Hail Gliders can strike at ground-based melee forces with impunity, releasing hails of lead bullets from the sky.


Fantastic or Summoned Creatures

Fireflies:  £600.  Attack 18, Defense 4.  Upkeep: £50.  Summoned (Chaos), Buzzer  Tech: Summon Fireflies
Strange will-o-the-wisps from another realm, these creatures resemble tiny candle flames; large swarms of them will burn the flesh from a man's bones.

Imps.  £300.  Att 6, Def 6, Move 2.  Upkeep £30.  Flier, Flametongue, Shock, Summoned (Chaos)  Tech: Summon Imps
Flier:  Imps can cross land and sea at a cost of 1 move.  They gain the benefits of melee flight in combat.
Flametongue:  Imps conduct a weak special attack that has a chance of wounding units before combat.

Phantom Warriors:  £260.  Attack 15, Defence 15.  Upkeep £25/turn.  Illusion, Shock, Summoned (Sorcery).  Tech: Phantom Warriors
A legion of insubstantial, illusory soldiers whose attacks harm only those that cannot see the truth.

Yetis:  £700.  Attack 20, Defense 20.  Upkeep £85.  Heavy Unit.  Summoned (Sorcery).  Tech: Yetis.

Zombies:  £80.  Attack -4, Defense -4.  No upkeep.  Undead, Shock, Mindless, Summoned (Necromancy)  Tech:  Summon Zombies
Special:  In any combat that ends with a surviving (wounded or not) necromancer on the winning side, all living creatures killed during combat (or wounded and unable to escape) are raised again as zombies for no cost.  These zombies are loyal to the necromancer's side.

War Bears.  £850.  Attack 22, Defense 18.  Upkeep £85.  Summoned (Nature)  Tech:  Summon War Bears
Bears.  Bears that will fight for you.  What more does one need to say?


Spells and Casters

Necromancer:  £1200.  Attack 10, Defense 8.  Upkeep: £100.  Caster [Necromancy], Support.  Tech: Necromancy [Foundation].
Students of the darker side of magic, necromancers focus on reanimation of the dead, the channeling of black power and other negative, harmful arts.

Dark Whisper:  £300.  Attack 20, Defence 0, Range 3.  No upkeep.  Instant, One-Shot, Ranged Spell.  Requires Necromancer.  Tech:  Curses I.  Cannot capture/hold provinces on its own.
A whisper of darkness, the foul speech of demons taken physical form.  Will hunt down and kill a single target or group of targets before expending itself.

Dark Ward:  £250.  Attack 0, Defence 20.  Upkeep: £10.  Instant, Immobile, One-Shot.  Requires Necromancer.  Tech:  Curses I.
A series of phrases in the Black Tongue scribed upon stones, archways or other wards.  Discharge with lethal effect when crossed by unauthorised parties.

Warlock:  £1200.  Attack 12, Defense 6.  Upkeep: £100.  Caster [Chaos], Support  Tech:  Chaos Magic [Foundation]
Warlocks are students of chaos, the unpredictable power source of magics that warp or destroy, and summoners of ill fiends or creatures of fire and mayhem.

Sorcerer:  £1200.  Attack 9, Defence 9.  Upkeep £100/turn.  Caster[Sorcery], Support.  Tech:  Sorcery [Foundation]
Sorcerers dabble in those facets of magic which deal with smoke and air, movement, perception and the mind, as well as the principles that underlie all magic.

Trueshot:  £100.  Defenceless, Range 3.  Instant, One-Shot, Support, Spell(Sorcery)
Special:  Provides a bonus of +5 to attack/defense for ranged units for the duration of combat.

Windwall:  £240.  Defenceless, Range 3.  Instant, One-Shot, Support, Spell(Sorcery)
Special:  Provides a malus of -10 to attack/defense of enemy ranged units for the duration of combat.


Navy

Trireme:  £500.  Attack 10, Defence 10.  Movement 2.  Can carry up to 2 units.  Negates ground troop modifiers by 4.  Upkeep £70/turn.
A light ship with three masts, three joined hulls and banks of oars.  Not designed for long voyages or carrying large amounts pf crew.

Galleon:  £750.  Attack 15, Defence 15.  Movement 3.  Can carry up to 3 units.  Negates ground troop modifiers by 6.  Upkeep £90/turn.


Other

Caravan:  £1000.  No attack, Defence 10.  No upkeep.  A caravan sent to another territory to conduct a trade mission will generate £300 per territory distance from the originating territory to the destination.  e.g. A caravan sent to literally the next territory over will generate a £300 lump sum.  A caravan sent to a destination 5 territories away will generate £1500 in revenue.  Crossing ocean territories via ship count as 3 territories/ocean region for the purposes of calculating revenue (i.e. if you cross 2 land regions and 2 ocean regions, it counts as crossing 8 territories and you gain £2400 in revenue).  Travelling the 'long way round' will not gain any more cash upon arrival - you will only gain money based on the shortest distance the caravan could have travelled, taking into account blockades and enemy empires in the path. 

Caravans travel at a movement rate of 2 and can pass through neutral territories without requiring masking or bribery.  Caravan missions can only be sent to player territories.  Caravans from a particular side cannot have one of their own side's territories as the final destination (internal trade is presumed to be free).  Successfully destroying a caravan, on the other hand, will net you £800 free of charge.

NB:  A single unit may be attached to a caravan as a caravan guard.  Passing through neutral territories with a caravan guard will incur a charge of £50 per caravan+guard.  If you mount an invasion with troops posing as caravan guard, the neutral territory will immediately attack your 'guards' on principle, even if they are not the country being invaded.

Engineer:  £500.  Attack 10, Defence 10.  Upkeep £50.  Support, Siege I  Engineers can build roads.  A single engineer takes two turns to build a road in a neutral or owned territory.  Engineers can stack to complete tasks more quickly.  Engineers cannot build roads in enemy territories.  Engineers can travel without masking or bribery through neutral territories, provided they are not part of an invasion force.  Researching additional technologies may unlock further uses for engineers.
Engineers are a Siege Power 1 unit, which means that if they are stacked with an invading army that comes up against defenders behind a city wall, the bonus for the city wall is negated.  This does not count vs fortifications, castles, fortresses, citadels or any more powerful defences.  The siege level can be improved with research.  Engineers may also add to the Siege Resist of defences.  Engineers are a support unit; they will always go into battle last if they can help it.  See Siege Warfare for more details.

Diplomat:  £500.  Cannot attack, Defense 0.  Upkeep: £20.  Free passage, Scout.  Halves passage costs for stacked units.  Support.  Tech: Diplomacy I.

See the Diplomacy section for details.

Spy:  £300.  Cannot attack, Defense 0.  Move 3.  Upkeep £10.  Invisible.

See the Espionage section for details.

Scout:  £80.  Defenseless, Move 3.  Upkeep: £5.  Free Passage, Scout.
Special:  Scouts may travel freely through neutral territories without paying passage costs.  They reveal the presence of any non-invisible units in any territories they pass through and will provide a summary of those territories, provided they are not attacked and killed.
Special 2:  Scouts may be killed without save as a free action by military units in any area it passes through or is resident in.  As a rule of thumb, neutral armies will not kill scouts.

Priests:  £200.  Attack 0, Defense 0.  Upkeep £10.  Support.  Tech: Organised Religion
Special:  Priests have one function to start with, though this may be improved with technology.  Priests may pass through neutral regions freely without paying passage costs.  Priests may only be recruited in regions with their religion present.

Proselytism: Priests can spread their religion to new regions.  Priests have a 100% chance of spreading religion to a faithless territory, and the chance decreases by 20% for each religion already present.  Priests are destroyed by this process whether they succeed or not; successful priests stay to guide their flocks, unsuccessful ones are lynch mobbed.

Spoiler: Technologies (click to show/hide)

Infrastructure II:  Increases your Industry Limit to 2/territory.

Mechanics I:  Allows construction of Sawmills, Workshops.
Mechanics II:  Allows construction of Powered Sawmill, Powered Workshop, Windmill.
Mechanics III:  Allows construction of Machine Shop.

Masonry II:  Allows construction of Fortifications.
Masonry III:  Allows construction of Keeps.

Mathematics:  Allows recruitment of Catapults.  Gateway tech for Philosophy, Masonry IV, Mechanics IV.

Coastal Defences I:  With Masonry I, allows construction of Sea Walls.

Metalworking II:  Allows construction of Smithies.

Metallurgy I:  Allows construction of Smelters.

Animal Husbandry I:  Allows construction of Ranches.

Agriculture II:  Allows construction of Improved Farms.

Adaptive Farming II:  Allows construction of Improved Farms without the resource requirement.

Marketplaces:  Allows construction of marketplaces.

Glazing I:  Allows construction of Glassmakers.
Glazing II:  Allows construction of Glassworks.

Fermentation I:  Allows construction of Bakery, Brewery.
Fermentation II:  Allows construction of Bakers' Guild, Brewers' Guild.

Painting: Allows construction of Artists.
Sculpture:  Allows construction of Artist's Studio.
Artistic Tradition:  Allows construction of Artists' Guild.

Leathercraft I: Allows construction of Hideworkers.
Leathercraft II:  Allows construction of Tanneries.

Diplomacy I:  Can build diplomats.  Diplomat Hero Promotion.
Diplomacy II.  Improves diplomatic operations.

Espionage I:  Can build spies.  Spymaster Hero Promotion.

Weaponsmithy I:  Improves all light infantry/cavalry attack rolls by 1, all heavy infantry/cavalry attack rolls by 2.  Swordmaster I Hero promotion.
Weaponsmithy II:  Improves all light infantry/cavalry attack rolls by 1, all heavy infantry/cavalry attack rolls by 2.  Swordmaster II Hero promotion.

Armoury I:  Improves all light infantry/cavalry defense rolls by 1, all heavy infantry/cavalry defense rolls by 2.  Shieldmaster I Hero promotion.
Armoury II:  Improves all light infantry/cavalry defense rolls by 1, all heavy infantry/cavalry defense rolls by 2.  Shieldmaster II Hero promotion.

Infantry Training II:  Can build tortoise phalanx, pikemen.

Ranged Training I:  Can build javelineers.  Ranger Hero Promotion.

Mariners:  Can hire mariners.  Mariner Hero Promotion.

Hail Gliders:  Can hire hail gliders.

Sea Travel II:  Can build galleons, construct Deep Fishery.

Slavery I:  Improves base capture chance for units passively by 5%.  Can construct Slavers building.

Necromancy [Foundation]:  Can build necromancers.  Necromancer Hero Promotion.
Curses I:  Can cast Dark Whisper, Dark Ward.  Requires Necromancer.
Summon Zombies:  Can summon Zombies.  Requires Necromancer.

Chaos Magic [Foundation]:  Can build warlocks.  Warlock Hero Promotion.
Summon Fireflies:  Can summon Fireflies.  Requires Warlock.
Summon Imps:  Can summon Imps.  Req Warl.

Sorcery [Foundation]:  Can build sorcerers.  Sorcerer Hero Promotion.
Phantom Warriors:  Can summon Phantom Warriors.  Requires Sorcerer.
Trueshot:  Allows casting of the Trueshot spell.  Req Sorc.
Windwall:  Allows casting of the Windwall spell.  Req Sorc.
Yetis:  Enables transformation of locals into Yetis.  Req Sorc.

Nature Magic [Foundation]:  Can hire druids.  Druid Hero Promotion.
Summon War Bears:  Can summon War Bears.  Requires Druid.


Public Domain Technologies
Infrastructure I:  Increases basic economy investment cap to £5000 (basic revenue of £500/turn).

Archery I:  Allows construction of slingers, archers, longbowmen.

Mining I:  Allows construction of basic mines.

Agriculture I:  Allows construction of basic farms, stables.

Adaptive Farming I:  Allows construction of Farms without the resource requirement.

Metalworking I:  Allows recruitment of light and heavy macemen, axemen, swordsmen.  Allows construction of basic smithies.

Masonry I:  Allows construction of walls.

Sea Travel I:  Allows construction of triremes, Fisheries.

Infantry Training I:  Can build skirmishers, phalanx.  Guerilla, Raider Hero Promotions.

Organised Religion:  Allows recruitment of Priests, construction of Shrines, founding of a religion.

Spoiler: Hero Promotions (click to show/hide)

Diplomat:  £500.  Increases upkeep by £20.  Allows the hero to act as a diplomat.  In situations where a diplomat would be expelled/return to its home territories, the hero must also be expelled/returned.  A diplomat hero can resist expulsion if he is able to lead troops in a fight to resist it.  In situations where a diplomat would be killed, the diplomat hero is instead captured.  Tech: Diplomacy I.

Spymaster:  £500.  Increases upkeep by £20.  Allows the hero to move invisibly in the same manner as Spies (can be detected in the same fashions) and can compile reports of territories it passes through as a scout would.  The hero can at any point during its movement for the turn spawn a new spy in whatever territory it is in at the usual cost for purchasing a spy (£300, paying £10/turn upkeep thereafter).  The new spy will take 1 turn to recruit as usual, unless double hiring costs are paid as for mercenaries.  This promotion does not allow the Hero to otherwise act as a Spy.  Tech: Espionage I.

High Priest:  £1000.  Upkeep increase £100.  The High Priest promotion allows the Hero to act like a priest in all its functions, with the notable exception that when it would be destroyed as a result of priestly action (other than making a proselytism attempt) the unit is instead either captured (20% chance) or sent back to its side's capital.  High Priests are not destroyed by proselytism and instead remain in the territory they have converted.  Tech: Organised Religion

Necromancer:  £1200.  Increases upkeep by £100.  Allows the hero to act as a necromancer.  The hero's attack and defence bonuses do not increase.  He is able to serve as a caster for necromancy spells and gains any other benefits available to a necromancer.  Necromancer heroes may not fight directly, except against other heroes.  Tech: Necromancy [Foundation]

Warlock:  £1200.  Increases upkeep by £100.  Allows the hero to act as a warlock for the purposes of spellcasting and summoning.  The hero's attack and defense bonuses do not increase.  He is able to serve as a caster for chaos magic and gains any other benefits available to a warlock.  Warlock heroes may not fight directly, except against other heroes.  Tech: Chaos Magic [Foundation]

Sorcerer:  £1200.  Increases upkeep by £100.  Allows the hero to act as a sorcerer for the purposes of spellcasting and summoning.  The hero's attack and defense bonuses do not increase.  He is able to serve as a caster for sorcery and gains any other benefits available to a srocerer.  Sorcerer heroes may not fight directly, except against other heroes.  Tech: Sorcery [Foundation]

Druid:  £1200.  Increases upkeep by £100.  Allows the hero to act as a druid.  The hero's attack and defence bonuses do not increase.  He is able to serve as a caster for nature magic spells and gains any other benefits available to a druid.  Druid heroes may not fight directly, except against other heroes.  Tech:  Nature Magic [Foundation]


Guerilla:  £250.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero gains expertise laying ambushes and fighting defensively as a footsoldier.  His defensive bonus to leading infantry increases by 3.  Tech:  Infantry Training I.

Raider:  £250.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero trains for quick charges and brutal attacks during raids as a footsoldier.  His offensive bonus to leading infantry increases by 3.  Tech:  Infantry Training I.

Ranger:  £400.  Increases upkeep by £20.  The hero gains expertise fighting with ranged weaponry such as javelins and bows.  His offensive and defensive bonuses to leading ranged units increase by 3.  Tech:  Ranged Training I.

Mariner:  £400.  Increases upkeep by £20.  The hero gains expertise fighting aboard ship and in ship-to-ship combat.  His offensive and defensive bonuses to leading naval or amphibious units incfrease by 3.  Tech:  Mariners.

Charger:  £250.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero gains expertise leading cavalry charges.  His offensive bonus to leading cavalry increases by 3.  Tech:  Cavalry Tactics I

Evader:  £250.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero gains expertise leading cavalry in evasive movements and retreats.  His defensive bonus to leading cavalry increases by 3.  Tech:  Cavalry Tactics I

Swordmaster I:  £120.  Increases upkeep by £5.  The hero achieves a proficiency with his chosen weapon on the attack.  His personal attack score in single combat increases by 2.  Tech:  Weaponsmithy I
Swordmaster II:  £200.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero achieves a proficiency with his chosen weapon on the attack.  His personal attack score in single combat increases by 2.  Tech:  Weaponsmithy II

Shieldmaster I:  £120.  Increases upkeep by £5.  The hero achieves a proficiency with shield, armour or dodging on the defensive.  His personal defence score in single combat increases by 2.  Tech:  Armoury I.
Shieldmaster II:  £200.  Increases upkeep by £10.  The hero achieves a proficiency with shield, armour or dodging on the defensive.  His personal defence score in single combat increases by 2.  Tech:  Armoury II.

Spoiler: Items (click to show/hide)

Items may eventually be enchanted.  Each Hero gets a Weapon, Armour and Object slot.  The three base items are as follows:

Weapon:  +1 to personal attack.  A sword, axe, mace, staff etc.  Takes up the Weapon slot.  Weapons can have up to 2 enchantments on them.  Tech: Weaponsmithy II.

Armour:  +1 to personal defense.  A shield, chainmail, platemail, leather etc.  Takes up the Armour slot.  Armour can have up to 2 enchantments on it.  Tech: Weaponsmithy II.

Object:  No direct effect.  A charm, bracelet, cape, orb of mystic power etc.  Takes up the Object slot.  Objects can have up to 4 enchantments on them.  Tech:  Any Tier II industry (e.g. Mechanics II, Pottery II, Weaving II, Metalworking II)

Spoiler: Resources (click to show/hide)

Game - Game adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Hunting Lodges can be built in regions containing game.

Grain - Grain adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Farms can be built in regions containing grain.

Wine - Wine adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Farms can be built in regions containing wine.

Spices - Spices add 10% to your basic revenue per turn.  Farms can be built in regions containing spices.  Luxury item.

Pork/Cattle/Sheep - Pork, cattle or sheep add 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Pastures can be built in regions containing pork, cattle or sheep.

Ivory - Ivory adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Hunting Camps can be built in regions containing ivory.  With a Ranch, ivory enables recruitment of war elephants.

Horses - Horses add 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Stables can be built in regions containing horses.  Cavalry units may be recruited in regions containing horses at a 10% discount.  This does not affect upkeep.

Lumber - Lumber adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Sawmills can be built in regions containing lumber.  Archery units may be recruited in regions containing lumber at a 10% discount.  This does not affect upkeep.

Silk - Silk adds 10% to your basic revenue per turn.  Farms can be built in regions containing silk.  Luxury item.

Copper - Copper does not add revenue on its own, but is a strategic metal.  Mines can be built in regions containing copper.

Iron - Iron does not add revenue on its own, but is a strategic metal.  Mines can be built in regions containing copper.

Coal - Coal adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Mines can be built in regions containing coal.

Stone - Stone does not add revenue on its own, but is a strategic mineral.  Mines can be built in regions containing stone.  Walls and similar defensive structures in regions containing stone may be built at a 25% discount.  This does not affect upkeep.

Marble - Marble adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Mines can be built in regions containing stone.  Religious structures in regions containing marble may be built at a 10% discount.  This does not affect upkeep.

Silver - Silver adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Mines can be built in regions containing silver.

Gold - Gold adds 10% to your basic revenue per turn.  Mines can be built in regions containing gold.  Luxury item.

Gems - Gems add 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Mines can be built in regions containing gems.

Fish - Fish adds 5% to your basic revenue per turn.  Fisheries can be built in regions containing fish.

Manufactured Items/Trade Goods

Trade goods typically add a bonus of 5% each to marketplace production.

Pottery - Produced by pottery industry buildings.

Beer - Produced by breweries.

Cloth - Produced by weaving industry buildings.

Glass - Produced by glassmakers.

Art - Produced by artists.

Slaves - Produced by slavery industry buildings.  Luxury item.

Scroll to bottom of this first page for Additional Rules!


Turns

Turn 0
Turn 1
Turn 2
Turn 3
Turn 4
Turn 5
Turn 6
Turn 7
Turn 8
Turn 9
Turn 10
Turn 11
Turn 12
Turn 13
Turn 14
Turn 15

[Pillow_Killer]

reserving

[Taricus]

Interested.

[Pillow_Killer]

Empire Name: Peaceful Empire of Peaceful People of Peaceful Republic
Leader Name: Ali Shorabongmad
Starting Territory:  S Presst
Colour: Dark Blue

[Taricus]

Empire name: Taikeni Dominion.
Leader name: Theris Anataki.
Starting territory: Center Storm.
Color: Cyan.

[Demonic Spoon]

Reserved!

[Criptfeind]

Empire Name: The Free Storm Republic
Leader Name: His most high Speaker Fredrick the Red, Speaker of the courts of the The Senate.
Starting Territory: Storm East
Colour: Dark Red

[Iituem]

Taricus/Criptfiend:  This means you'll be starting in adjacent territories; Storm East / Storm Central.  Do either of you wish to move, or is this acceptable to you?

[Taricus]

I'm Stayin' Right put 'ere. He can move 'cause he can't spell storm right

[Demonic Spoon]

Empire Name: The Foul Empire
Leader Name: Emperor Demonic Spoon
Starting Territory: Central Foul
Colour: Purple
Comments & Notes: We are the Foulest of them all!

And colouring the sea zones would be helpful, I though they were territories at first.

Question, can I trade with the old empire?

[Criptfeind]

I'm Stayin' Right put 'ere. He can move 'cause he can't spell storm right

Man, that is hard to read with the m right on the line. I am fine staying next to him.

A question though, does the map wrap around?

[Taricus]

Alright, We're going to need a borders agreement.

[Demonic Spoon]

A question though, does the map wrap around?

Seeing as there are cloud territories on the nw and ne corners of the map I'm guessing yes?

[Iituem]

Various additional rules have been moved here, such as Diplomacy, Espionage, Siege Warfare and Religion!

Spoiler: Additional Rules (click to show/hide)

Diplomats are not designed for combat, but can act in other ways.  Their chief advantage is as a scout; diplomats may travel freely through neutral territories without paying any passage costs.  They can also move into foreign player territories without it counting as an invasion, though military units in those territories will stop them if the player so wishes (unless it is part of an operation).  Whilst in other territories they can see any non-invisible units in that territory, plus any buildings and defences.

Units stacked with diplomats when travelling through neutral territories only pay half the passage costs (£250/unit instead of £500 for an army, £25/caravan+guard pair for caravans).

Diplomats can be expelled from a rival territory without killing them (if the rival so wishes), whereupon they will be returned to the nearest friendly territory, provided there is at least one military or diplomatic unit in the same territory where they end their turn.  The rival can of course just kill a diplomat in this situation as well.

Diplomats are also able to conduct Operations.  With Diplomacy I only two Operations are available, but research can add more Operations or improve the success chances of existing ones.

Diplomatic Operations

Negotiate Annexe:  Diplomats can negotiate the annexing of neighbouring neutral territories, provided they are not at war with the player country.  There is a good chance that they will agree to an annexe treaty and a small chance that negotiations go south and war is declared for 3 turns.  Otherwise negotiations are stalled or inconclusive that turn.  The chance of better outcomes will increase with research.

When an annexe agreement is reached, the neutral territory will demand a certain payment in pounds (usually several times their monthly tax revenue) to 'ease' the transition period.  (Some of this might go to the people, but most will be used to pay off vested interests.  Such is diplomacy.)  The territory will also demand that the money is paid over a certain number of turns so that the people can get used to the idea of government under the new order.  Research can reduce the financial demands of the annexe agreement and the amount of time that must be waited before full annexation.

Troops may be stationed in partially-annexed countries without it counting as an act of war (although they can then be used to attack the neutral country from within - be warned).  Revenue collection, construction or any of the other benefits of rule will not be available until complete annexation has taken place.

Diplomacy I:  40% chance of treaty, 10% chance of war.  Cost: ~10x monthly revenue.  Increments: up to £400/turn.
Diplomacy II:  Treaty chance 50%, War chance 8%.  Cost: ~9x half-yearly revenue.  Increments:  Up to £600/turn.

Embezzle Funds:  A diplomat may embezzle funds from a neutral or rival territory that he has entered.  Diplomats have a base chance of 100% to succeed at embezzling from neutral territories and a base chance of 80% to succeed at embezzling from rival territories.  The presence of military units in the territory reduce the success chance by 5% per unit.  The presence of another diplomat reduces the success chance by 30% per diplomat.  Diplomats will steal up to 50% of that territory's income/turn from the rival side/neutral territory's cash reserves.  If the rival side has no cash reserves left, the diplomat will instead attempt to incur a debt of £100 to the rival side, which must be paid during its next accounting period.  £50 of the debt goes to the player treasury, the other £50 is spent on bribery and corruption.

On the completion of a successful embezzlement mission, the diplomat will automatically return to the nearest friendly territory.  On the failure of an embezzlement mission, the diplomat will usually be executed.

Diplomacy I:  Base chance bonus = +0%
Diplomacy II:  Base chance bonus = +10%

Operations gained with Diplomacy II:

Bribe Unit:  A diplomat may attempt to suborn a rival unit for a large amount of money.  A defection attempt costs 1 Move.  Bribery always succeeds, but costs more or less depending on the skill of the diplomatic corps, the location of the unit and the loyalty of the territory it is in.  Units always defect instantly if bribed and may act with any Move left to them, but a counter-bribe may be made by the owners.  Or of course they may just have any other units attack the newly traitorous unit as punishment.

Bribery attempts may be made of units just before they attack a territory.

Counter Bribes:  Counter bribery raises the effective Unit Cost of the bribed unit, which is multiplied by any other factors.  e.g. Adding a counter bribe of £400 raises the base cost to bribe that unit by £800 in rival territory, £560 in neutral territory or £400 in friendly territory.

Base Cost if rival unit in rival territory:  2x Unit Cost (if bought new)
Base Cost if rival unit in neutral territory:  1.4x Unit Cost
Base Cost in rival unit in friendly territory:  1x Unit Cost

Each point of loyalty (if a rival territory) increases or decreases the bribery cost for that unit by 10% (depending on positive or negative loyalty).


Sabotage Unit:  A diplomat may attempt to interfere with a rival unit's proper function by assassinating commanders, rerouting supplies, tactical bribery or any other means.  A diplomat may attempt to Sabotage once per turn.  On a success, the unit is Wounded and the diplomat returns to the nearest friendly territory instantly.  On a failure, the diplomat is killed.

Base Success Chance:  50%
In Rival Territory: -20%
In Neutral Territory: +0%
In Friendly Territory: +10%

Spies (or more accurately spymasters) are special units trained in establishing espionage networks of agents and patsies and in conducting secretive operations of various kinds.  Spies are an invisible unit and orders for them may be directed by PM to the Game Master.  Spies cannot be detected passing through other territories, even by units capable of True Sight, though they can be detected as a result of operations.  Construction of spies can be ordered through PM or done openly.

Espionage Operations

Unlike Diplomatic Operations, virtually all Espionage Operations cost money to implement to balance out the low recruitment and maintenance cost of spies.

Network:  This operation is free and passive.  A spy needs merely be stationed in a territory for this operation to function.  When a spy creates a network, a full report of the territory (if it is not a player territory) will be delivered by PM to the spy's owner on turn updates.  Additionally, spies gathering information have a 10% chance per turn to discover another spy network (i.e. another spy resident in that region) and its owner.  Once the network is discovered, it will continue to be reported until the network is destroyed or dissolved.  If all spies leave the region, the network dissolves/is destroyed.  Spy networks are not destroyed if a region changes hands through conquest or trade.

Spy networks can provide bonuses to other operations.  Generally this requires one spy be left to maintain the network whilst the other spy engages in the operation (e.g. sabotage).

With higher espionage tech levels, Spy Networks may have chances to discover invisible units or other ordinarily imperceptible units.

Purge Network:  Cost: £50.  A counter-espionage effort, this attempts to destroy the spy network present in that territory (and the spy unit controlling it).  On a success, the owner of the network will be informed that the network was destroyed but not who by.

Base success chance: 40%.  Increases by 35% with own spy network present.

Disinformation Feed:  Cost £50/turn.  A counter-espionage effort of a more subtle variety, this technique does not destroy the network but instead feeds it false information.  If the disinformation feed is successfully established, the owner of the feed may supply whatever false information it wishes (false troop movements, the existence of units that are not there, the concealment of units that are, the existence or dissolution of other spy networks).  A spy has to remain in that territory to maintain the feed.

Once a feed has been successfully established, it cannot be detected directly (and neither can the spy maintaining it).  It will remain intact as long as a spy is there to maintain it and it is funded.  On a failed attempt to establish a feed, the owner of the network to be disinformed will be alerted to the attempt, but not to who is attempting it.

Base success chance: 20%.  Increases by 35% with own spy network present.

Sabotage Unit:  Cost £100.  Works as the Diplomat ability, but the spy remains in the territory unseen on a success.  On a failure, the spy is killed and the owner of the unit is alerted to the sabotage attempt but not to who attempted it.

Base Success chance: 30%.  Increases by 40% with own spy network present.  Decreases by 20% with rival (unit owner's) spy network present.  Increases by 10% in friendly territory, decreases by 10% in rival territory.

Siege units have a certain Siege Power rating; e.g. Engineers are Siege Power 1.  When attacking fortified cities (regions with defensive fortifications), the fortifications will have a Siege Resist rating.  e.g. Walls have Siege Resist 1, Fortifications have Siege Resist 2, Keeps have Siege Resist 4 and so on.  To overcome fortifications, one must bring units with equal or greater Siege Power to the fortifications' Siege Resist.  e.g. 1 Engineer would be needed to overcome walls, whilst 4 Engineers would be needed to overcome a Keep.  If Catapults had Siege Power 3, two Catapults would be sufficient to overcome a Keep, or one Catapult and an Engineer.

Bolstering Siege Resist:  Engineers (and only engineers) may improve the Siege Resist of a defensive structure during a battle.  e.g. Normally it would take 4 attacking Engineers to overcome a Keep.  If the defending side has 3 Engineers, 7 attacking Engineers would instead be required to overcome it (or 3 catapults for a total of 9 Siege Power).

Any defensive structure that is successfully overcome by siege warfare does not apply its bonus to the defending troops.  Against the more powerful defending structures this can sway the whole course of a battle.

Founding a Religion:  To found a religion one needs the Organised Religion tech (or any other religious tech).  Founding a religion costs a one-time fee of £2000 and creates a Holy Site in a territory of your choice.  You will be able to spread the religion through Priests to other territories, which will enable you to build Shrines or produce more priests.  A maximum of five (major) religions can be founded in the game - founding more will require existing religions to be wiped out to make space.  Owning a Holy Site will garner you a bonus of £40 in tithes for every territory that has that religion.

Spreading a Religion:  Spreading a religion requires the use of Priests, which can be recruited in any region a religion is already present in.  Priests are expended whether they successfully spread the religion or not.

State Religion:  Any faction that has a religion present in one of its territories can adopt that religion as its state religion.  Loyalty in all areas with the state religion increases by 2.  Other benefits to having a state religion will become clear as the game progresses.

The map wraps E-W.  The north and south poles do not wrap, but any territory touching the pole (i.e. the very top or bottom of the map) can reach any other territory touching the pole.  I'll add that into the map details.  And yeah, the m in Storm is pretty hard to read.  I left the sea zones white to differentiate them, hah, but that's a fair point.

Trading with the Old Empire... maybe.  They're an NPC empire, so you'll have to probably do something diplomatic to make it happen, but I reckon yes.  Considering they're currently the most powerful, wealthiest empire in the game as well, having to do some sort of service in exchange for 10% of their income is probably pretty worthwhile.

Edit:  Spoon, your empire is magenta instead of purple, because the Old Empire is already purple.  Destroy the OE and you can inherit their colour.