"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud. Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, my friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori." -Wilfred Owen
Spring of 1799
3rd of January
The state funeral of the recently deceased King of Ubren is a lavish and grand affair. The respected rulers coffin is paraded through the streets of the Kingdom's capital, Wolund, and is attended by King Lucious of The Redcliff Empire, and Emperor Erhard Hastel, of the Hastel Dominions. The old king's son, the newly crowned King Otto Fichte, watches the procession with little interest. He never cared deeply for his father, cursing his isolationist and bitter ways, but now that the crown of Ubren rests on his young head, and he finds himself with wolves at the gate to the North and West, he is ready to take the reins of the Kingdom, and lead it into a new age.
5th of January
The border skirmishes along the border between the Echyan Empire and the Kingdom of Sescos continue, as they have for months. The two nations continue to clash, their radically different cultures and stubborn leaders dragging the skirmish ever closer to outright wars. Armies have been raised, and moved into position, and fleets have been spotted prowling along the coastline, ready to descend upon their foes.
8th of January
In a shock move, the Senate of Oflua votes almost unanimously to publically condemn the Kingdom of Sescos, damning their neighbours as warmongers, and moving their own forces to the border. The Kingdom of Sescos suddenly finds itself assailed by rivals on two fronts, rapidly scrambling their forces to defend their borders as war seems to become a near certainty.
I'll be PM'ing you all your diplomatic chart, for you to decide how to affect your relationships. But first, here's a little more information on how the Diplomatic system will work.
The system has 11 levels, ranging from -5, to +5. This represents the level of relationship between the two nations. The following chart is a very rough representation, just to give the player an idea.
-5 is outright war, with little hope for peace.
-4 is a heightened sense of tension. There may be minor skirmishes, as the two nations are on the precipice of war.
-3 is a general sense of tension. The nations will act against each other's interests, supporting the other's enemies or disrupting trade etc.
-2 is a minor level of tension. They will not support each other, preferring to avoid any relations, and will publically denounce each other.
-1 is a level of general distrust. The two nations will be distrustful of the others actions, particularly the movement of troops.
0 is neutrality. There are no strong feelings, rather the nations will be watching each other, observing in case the relationship should shift.
+1 is a generally positive feeling. The two nation will allow trade, and there may well be migration between the two nations, as the two cultures experience each other.
+2 is a strong positive feeling. They will make an official declaration of friendship, and may well agree to a non-aggression pact, or some other similar sign on peace between the two.
+3 is outright friendship. The nations will likely come to each others aid if one or the other is invaded, and they will work together in most matters.
+4 is an official alliance. They will swear to come to each others aid, and may well move troops through each others land with no issue.
+5 is a military alliance. Even if one is the unprovoked aggressor in a war, the other will come to their aid and fight by their side.
So now to finish off the FAQ's, in preparation for this kicking off!
Population
"So you told us about 'Professions', but what about the other numbers on the sheet?"
-Strength is the most obvious of the three, as that is simply the number of your inhabitants of that province that practice the said profession. The observant among you may notice that the sum total of your population strength is low, at least compared to your population points, or your nation size, especially when compared to similar historical nations. This is due to the 'Professions' only including around 1/4 of your total population. The over 3/4's include women, young children, the elderly, and the weak and infirm. You are able to change this split, child labour laws as an obvious example, but that decision is up to you.
-Satisfaction should also be fairly obvious, although the affect it will have on the RP may not be. This represents how content your Professions are. For the Natives, this is largely dictated by the stability of the colony. If it drops too low, then you will face rebellion and revolution. For your other Professions, their Satisfaction will begin at 50%, but will be affected by the actions and decisions that you make as a leader.
-And Efficiency is largely decided by three factors. The development of the necessary Industry, the Industrialization of your nation, and the Satisfaction of the respective Profession. Efficiency will be the stat most used when deciding the success of the actions that you make regarding your Profession's. It will be hard to encourage your Labourers to build a new railroad if they are low efficiency, and if they do it at all, then the work would likely drag on, as an example.
Military
"What do the different Infantry types mean?"
-Most of them correlate with the real-life unit types of the same name, but in terms of the RP, I can hopefully help you understand.
-The Militia are non-professional soldiers, they are conscripts, or volunteers, and they are the unit most likely to break ranks, or disobey orders. Rely on them at your peril, but they can quickly be raised if you suddenly find yourself shorthanded.
-Your Line Infantry will, in almost every case, be the most numerous branch of your army. They are your 'regular' soldiers, and will do their job, although they will not necessarily do it well.
-Now onto the Light Infantry, your skirmishers. They are normally small, agile men, with good marksmanship and the ability to act independently, using their initiative. They can be relied on to harass the enemy, before falling back to safety.
-Your guard are the heavy-hitters. The tallest and strongest of your soldiers, these are your veterans, and will be the last men to flee, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Their presence alone can shore up the morale of the Divisions they are fighting side by side with.
-And finally, for those of you lucky enough to have access to their equipment, Rifle regiments carry the weapon that gives them their name. They will function much in the same way as your Light Infantry, as skirmishers with unerring accuracy. They are slow to load, but they are leaps and bounds ahead of muskets in terms of range and accuracy.
"And the Cavalry?"
-The Horse Divisions are the lowliest of your cavalry. They are lightly equipped, poorly trained, and little more than horse riders who have been pressed into serving in your military. They will not charge against an organised line, preferring to cut down fleeing soldiers rather than enter a fight they could possibly lose.
-Your Dragoons are, or at least are intended to be, the mainstay of your cavalry. They are fine riders, and equipped with straight cavalry swords intended to hack their way through those who stand in the way of their charge. They pride themselves on their reputation, and will strive to prove themselves.
-Heavy Dragoons ride only the largest horses, often wear armour, and are a terrifying sight to face. They hit hard, and they will charge into the fiery depths of hell if you order them to. They are a rare force, as they require high training, well-bred horses and finely crafted equipment, but they are all but legendary.
-Hussars are the poster boys of cavalry. Some of the greatest riders that your nation can produce, their need for speed is matched only by their horses. Incredibly self-confident in their own beliefs, Hussars are notorious as scouts, and as fighting skirmishing battles. They are not at home in the mud and carnage of total warfare, preferring to ride for glory.
"And finally, the Artillery?"
-Your artillery comes in four flavours. Your 6-pounders are the most numerous guns, still lightweight enough to be moved with relatively little effort but powerful when fired in unison. On the other hand the 12-pounders, while rare, are powerful weapons in their own right, but too heavy to be transported quickly. 9-pounders are the middle-ground, attempting to merge the two.
-Howitzers are a slightly different breed. Able to fire explosive shells, they are able to serve as the bane of massed troops, whether they be infantry or cavalry, as they will hurl their shells into the air, shrapnel raining down on the battlefield.
"So those are the types, but what do the other columns mean?"
-The Strength is the same as for your Population, and simply represents how many men make up that unit.
-The Morale is the courage of that unit, dictated mostly by the quality of the respective troops, but also by the potential presence of your generals, the supply of the respective unit, and the state of the odds, whether they are in or against your favour.
-Supply is decided by the logistics of the respective unit type, and is best thought of as the stockpile that the unit possesses, of ammunition, tools or other essential items that they cannon function without.
-Strength, Morale and Supply are all central to the success of that unit. If any of the three ever reach zero, then the unit will cease to function, whether it is being wiped out, their courage broken, or being unable to continue the fight. Be careful to manage all three.
-Hopefully the Weapon and Location column is fairly self-explanatory.
"So what are the three types of Ships then?"
-These are your Ship's of the Line, the powerful ships of your fleet that will take part in, and win, the majority of your naval battles.
-The most powerful ships in your arsenal, First-Rates are expensive to maintain and difficult to manoeuvre, but can bring the most guns to bear. Second-Rates are one step down. Still large and rightfully known for their poor handling and slow speed, they are powerful vessels, and ideal to serve as flagships in the far-flung corners of your nation.
-Third-Rates are the ideal compromise of speed, handling, firepower and cost. Despite being smaller, and less individually powerful than the First and Second Rates, it is your Third-Rates that will form the backbone of your nation.
"So we've seen Morale, Supply and Location before. What about the new columns?"
-Crew is the equivalent of Strength. With no crew, the ship cannot function, and for that reason they are obviously essential. Marines do not function in the same way that modern marines tend to, they are instead there to maintain order aboard the ship, to stave off mutiny. They will slow the fall of morale aboard the ship, as well as to fend off boarding attacks from rival ships. And guns should hopefully be self-explanatory.
So what role do Cruisers play?
-Not every engagement will warrant a Ship of the Line, so for skirmishes, and long-sea voyages, the Cruisers come to the fore. Frigates were designed with speed and manoeuvrability in mind. Although they cannot stand toe to toe with a Ship of the Line, they are invaluable due to their ability to function either independently, or in support of larger ships. Sloops are cheaper and more economical substitutes for Frigates, where a Frigates cruising range is not necessary. They are the most numerous ship in the fleet, and they can fill most roles with some ability.
"So who are Leaders, and what do they do?"
-Your Leaders are the finest Generals and Admirals that your nation is able to produce. They can give bonuses to the units that they are leading in three areas; Morale, Offence and Defence. All three are fairly clear, with Morale directly correlating to the Morale already on the unit sheets, Offence coming into play when your forces go on the attack, and Defence acting the same when in regard to defending.
Economy
"How are taxes calculated?"
-Every Profession within your nation will have an income level, directly tied to your National Wealth. At the beginning of the RP, there is a net income tax rate across all nations of 5%. This is obviously open to change, however much, or whether you want to at all is entirely up to you. Therefore the Low Industry Taxes are taken from your Farmers and Labourers; the Middle Industry Taxes from Engineers, Bureaucrats and Scholars; the High Industry Taxes from your Aristocrats, and the Colonial Taxes from the Natives of your Colonies.
"And the spendings?"
-Army Spendings stems from both the literal size of your army, in terms of strength, as well as from the Logistics of your army. As some of you may already know, this can quickly add up. Navy Spending works in the same way, stemming from the size of your navy, and it's Logistics. Government Spending is more of an umbrella term, initially covering the basic maintenance cost of your nation, but it will go on to cover any projects that you intend to carry out, so could quickly climb.
"If I'm working with a surplus, what should I do?"
-Celebrate for a start! Working with a surplus can only be a good thing, and it also allows you to look into what areas you can more heavily invest into in the future. A surplus will also go to your National Bank, giving you insurance in the future, as well as available funds.
"And what if I'm looking at a deficit?"
-Try not to panic. A deficit will not immediately sink your nation. In fact, your nation has a premade safety net in the form of the National Bank. Depending on the Satisfaction levels of your Population, and the National Wealth of your nation, your population will invest some of their funds into the National Bank, which will decrease what debt your nation might find itself in. The Catch-22 is that debt, and a deficit, will decrease National Wealth and Population Satisfaction. It is a slippery slope.
@The Wyrm Unfortunately, due to the scale and principles of this RP, I'm not sure how I could implement it. If you're paticularly keen to write, then I could potentially allow some traveller, who has no say or impact on world events, but comments on what he witnesses? But it's obviously not what is intended, so would take some work.
So for all of you who have applied, received your overview, and are a little baffled by what you're looking at, this should help clear things up! It might also prove useful for any lurkers that are weighing up jumping on board, so read on.
Population
"Who are the 'Natives'? What do they do?"
-They are what they sound like, they are the native inhabitants of the land that you have colonised. Therefore this group is only present in Colonial Provinces, not those in Europe. So if you have no colonies, then feel free to skip to the next question. But if you fancy yourself a burgeoning colonial power, then carry on.
-The Natives are the local people, and how happy they are to be under your control can decide whether you are supressing open rebellions, or having parades held in your honour. They are largely autonomous, carrying on the day to day life that they lived before your arrival, and may well continue to do so after you are gone. They provide some tax, but they largely are not high-earners, and so the taxes from your natives will rarely be the central pillar of your economy.
-Over time, and with some effort, you will be able to 'convert' these natives to your own culture, allowing them to move into other professions, and thus provide more taxes. But how you control your natives, whether you supress them, or try and encourage their assimilation, is entirely up to you!
"And what about the Farmers?"
-Again, these are what they sound like. They are by far the most populous group in your nation, and rightly so considering that we are just entering the 19th Century. But that is not to say that they will retain the extent of their dominance. Those of you with plentiful points under Industrialisation may well see the balances begin to shift.
-The Farmers produce the most basic resources, most importantly food. Without enough food, your nation will quickly fall apart, so make sure you keep your farmers working! Farmers will also produce wool, leather and other basic recourses that your nation needs in order to keep the cogs turning.
-Aside from your natives, the farmers will earn the least amount, and therefore individually will produce the least in tax. But their high population means that they are in fact the group that provides the most to your economy, so they are arguably the financial backbone of your nation. What you do with them, is entirely up to you.
"Labourers? I assume they labour?"
-You're getting the hang of it. They serve two purposes. The first, is that they produce coal and iron, the two driving forces that will power your nation into the 19th Century! Those two resources alone are essential if you're hoping to form an Industrial nation, so for that reason alone the Labourer's are an invaluable group.
-Their second purpose, is that they are the main workforce of your nation. Whenever you order something built, it is the Labourer's that will be gathered and set to work. Roads, railways, buildings, these are all things that will remain a dream if you are without sufficient Labourer's.
-As the second member of the Low Industry, your Labourer's still aren't high earners, but just like your Farmers, their relatively high numbers means that they still provide a lot of income for your economy.
"What about the Middle Industry?"
-There a three Professions that encompass the 'Middle Industry', and these are your thinkers, the creative and inventive force of your nation.
-Your Engineers create your specialised goods, your weapons and your engines. While the Labourer's will carry out construction and over fairly unskilled jobs, it's your engineers that you'll need to create the items and over manufactured goods that will drag your nation into the 19th Century.
-Bureaucrats keep you nation running smoothly, whether it's ensuring that taxes are collected, or organising the wages and maintenance of your nation's armies and navies. They are essential if you want to be able to effectively distribute your wealth, and to organise social reforms, or tax changes.
-Scholars are the eggheads of your nation. If you want new designs, whether it's for weaponry, or for steam engines, it will be your scholars that will create those designs for you. Anything that requires invention, the Scholars will provide. They are key for your nation to advance.
-The Middle Industry falls, rather expectedly, in the middle in terms of tax. They are middle tier earners, but there are not enough of them to challenge the tax income of the Low Industry, and don't earn enough individually to challenge the wealth of the high tier. Nonetheless, they are essential, more for their abilities than for their income.
"So the High Industry? Just Aristocrats?"
-Indeed, although the term also covers the ruling class of your nation, whether that is your royalty, or your highest government leaders. The members of this Profession make a fortune compared to the others, but they are so few in number that they don't make as large an impact on the economy.
-Highly influential, it is important to keep the Aristocrats content, as they are capable of raising an army to fight against you if you go against their interest too often. But on the other edge of the spectrum, when they are content, they are able to help control their local population. Treat them with care.
For Military, Economy and Diplomacy, come back soon!
@Heyitsjiwon You are correct. Once I've cleared the queue, and everyone who wants to has applied, then I'll fill the rest of Europe with NPC's, as well as some of the remaining colonies. At this point looks like I'll be filling most of Eastern Europe.
@Heyitsjiwon Looks like it all adds up! Consider yourself added to the queue.
@Ratattack Unfortunately you've just helped my decision. I'll refer you to rule 9. I hope we can RP together in the future, but not now.
And to the rest of you, the majority have their Nation Overviews. Once I've reached the end of the queue, then I'll post an FAQ to help explain what you're looking at, and then we can look at getting this show on the road! And I'll have a discord for you all in the next hour or so.
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