Lets Play Romance of the 3 Kingdoms XI

[HerbieRAI]

Anyone interested in a Lets Play for Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI? I figured since it's a less known game I should see if there's interest before starting.

Game Basics:

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I'll go into more detail if this gets off the ground, but Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI is a turn based strategy based on the same story as the dynasty warriors line. Every action you do has to be carried out by one or more of your characters. There is very basic elements of city building that allow you to recruit troops, build equipment, and get gold and food. You have to recruit toops, build equipment, then march on your enemies. Fighting depends a lot on the characters leading the units, so just because you have 10,000 men attacking their 3,000 you may still lose, especially if their leader is of Lu Bu's quality. There are also other abilities which a smarter general can get off against a dumber one which can more than even the playing field. There is not a real leveling system, although your abilities can increase after being extensivly used.

Character submissions. Submit the following for a character

Name: the character name
Gender: Male or felmale
Type: Warrior or Scholar
Growth: Normal
Favored Weapons: which type of troops your good with
Unfavored Weapon: which type of troops your not good with
Character: Bold, Timid, Cool, Reckless
Voice/ Tone: Not something you'll hear, but different voices for in game.
Court: How your character feels about the Emporer
Aspiration:
Portrait: If you have the game and like a particular picture.
Family/Friends: If you want a emotional connection to someone else. This will only be allowed between you guys.

Aspirations:

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Military- Aspires to rule through might
Royal- Aspires to rule through virtue
Self- Trusts only his/her own strength
Steadfast- Favors gradual base expansion
Goodly- Rules for the good of the people
Able- Acts to the best of his/her ability
Eminent- Aims for success and wealth
Secure- Aims for safety, avoids danger
Retiring- Cares nothing for the world

Favored/ Unfavored weapons

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Spears (beats horses, loses to pikes)
Pikes (beast spears, loses to horses)
Horses (beats Pikes, loses to Spears)
Crossbows (loses to all, but has range, a really big buff)
Weaponry (siege equipment, loses to units but can hurt cities.)
Navy (strong boats)

Things that will be given to you:

Abilities:

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LDR: Leadership skill. Affects your unit's combat ability. High leadership takes less damage and deals more damage. Low is vice versa. Affects your ability to police a city when instructed to do so.

WAR: War skill. Affects your personal combat ability. High War deals more damage during duels and takes less damage. Low is vice versa. Also determines how well you train troops.

INT: Intelligence skill. Affects your unit's strategy success values. High Intelligence is better than Low Intelligence, generally. Also affects how many spears/pikes/bows you construct when instructed to do so.

POL: Political skill. Affects your unit's misdirection success values. High political skill is better than low political skill, generally. Also affects how fast you construct buildings when informed to do so.

CHA: Charisma skill. Affects your unit's combat ability. High Charisma is better than Low Charisma, generally. Affects how many troops you can hire when instructed to do so. Also has minor affects on hiring officers.

Warrior types prioritize WAR>LDR>CHA>INT>POL. Scholar types prioritize INT>POL>CHA>LDR>WAR.

Skills:

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+Flying General: Ignore land ZOC, Powerful vs. Weak unit

+Fleetness: Ignore ZOC on land

+Forced March: Improved land unit Move (Not transport/seige)

+Forced Gallop: Improves Cavalry Move

+Propulsion: Ignores ZOC on water

+Seamanship: Improves Move on water

+Traverse: No damage on plankways, less from rocks

+Transport: Improved transported units' land Move

+Antidote: Guards against posion (Posion from the southern region)

=Type of Skills: Attack=

+Sweep Asunder: Lowers small amount of Will of enemy unit

+Majesty: Lowers large amount of Will of enemy unit

+Promotion: Recover Will on defeating enemy unit

+Chain Attack: 50% chance of regular attack occurring twice

+Raid: 50% chance of taking no damage (land attack)

+Marine Raid: 50% chance of taking no damage (water attack)

+Close Combat: Stronger attacks in forests

+Siege: Stronger attacks vs. constructions

+Entrap: 50% chance of confusion on joint attack

+Capture: Caputer officers (Without providence/elite horses)

+Masterful: TP x2 on defeating enemy unit

+Plunder: Steal item on defeating unit

+Beguile: Enemy troops defect on defeating unit

+Exterminate: Stronger attack vs. weaker units

+Range: Towers, stone projectile range +1 square

+White Riders: Strong horsebows avail, without research (even with the
technique, the horsebows are more powerful with this skill)

+Assistance: Support avail, without ties (Except disliked)

+Spear General: Stronger spear attack vs. weak unit

+Pike General: Stronger pike attack vs. weak unit

+Archer General: Stronger crossbow attack vs. weak unit

+Cavalry General: Stronger cavalry attack vs. weak unit

+Admiral: Stronger naval attack vs. weak unit

+Valiant General: All attacks stronger vs. weak unit

+God's Command: Stronger regular attack s. weak unit

+Divine Right: Stronger spear & pike tactics

+Divine Spears: Stronger spear tactics

+Divine Pikes: Stronger pike tactics

+Divine Bows: Stronger bow tactics

+Divine Cavalry: Stronger cavalry tactics

+Divine Forge: Stronger weaponry tactics

+Divine Waters: Stronger naval tactics

+Puissance: All tactics stronger

+Stampede: Cavalry tactic vs weak unit confuses

+Bowmanship: Able to use bow tactics in forest

+Vehemence: 50% injury inflict chance if enemy moved by tactic

=Type of Skill: Defense=

+Fortitude: With few men, 50% chance of no damage

+Indestructible: 50% chance of no damage from weak enemy

+Iron Wall: Regular damage from join attack

+Resolute: Recover Will after enemy tactic

+Aegis: .5 damage from non-fire attack, 2x for fire

+Providence: No injury, capture or death in battle

+Escape Route: Officer not captured when defeated

+Escort: No damage to unit if officer dies in battle

=Type of Skill: Strategy=

+Critical Ambush: Stronger attack on ambush

+Fire Assault: 100% chance of success vs low Int unit when using fire

+Poison Tongue: 100% chance of success vs low Int unit when using misinform

+Disconcertion: 100% chance of success vs low Int unit when using perturb

+Trickery: 100% chance of success vs low Int unit when using blunder

+Agile Mind: All strategies successful vs low Int unit

+Cunning: Stronger strategies vs low Int unit

+Covert Plan: Stronger strategies vs high Int unit

+Detection: Twart strategies of low Int unit

+Insight: Thwart all enemy strategies

+Divine Fire: All fire strategies successful (take no damage from fire)

+Divine Potency: All strategies sucessful/thwarted

+Focus: Unit strategies only use 1 Will

+Augment: Strategies' range increased by 1 square

+Chain Reaction: Strategies affect adjacent units also

+Intensify: Stronger unit strategies

+Counter Plan: On thwarting strategy, counter with the same strategy

+Siren: 2x success rate with strategy vs male unit

+Sorcery: Able to use sorcery

+Black Arts: Able to use sorcery and lightning

=Type of Skill: Support=

+Integrity: Immunity to misinform

+Indomitable: Immunity to perturb

+Clear Thought: Immunity to perturb and misinform

+Gladdened Heart: Own unit recovers Will each turn

+Stirring Heart: Will gained via band platform x2

+Fortification: Facilities & repair HP increased x2

+Colonization: Troops use no food at harbors, barriers

=Type of Skill: Domestics=

+Fame: Increased troops when recruiting

+Efficancy: More spears, pikes, bows produced

+Breeding: More horses produced

+Invention: Weaponry production time halved

+Shipbuilding: Naval equipment production time halved

+Pedagogy: Technique research cost halved

+Enlister: Search always finds people if present

+Negotiator: Easier to use debate in diplomacy

=Type of Skill: Revenue=

+Wealth: Cities monthly gold income x1.5

+Sustenance: Cities monthly food income x1.5

+Taxation: Cities receive gold each turn

+Levy: Cities receive food each month

=Type of Skill: Disasters=

+Wuwan Ties: No Wuwan citadels appear on player land

+Qiang Ties: No Qiang citadels appear on player land

+Shanyue ties: No Shanyue citadels appear on player land

+Nanman ties: No Nanman citadels appear on player land

+Suppression: No rebel citadels appear on player land

+Benevolent Rule: Officer loyalty does not diminish

+Feng Shui: No locusts or plague in the city

+Prayers: Abundant harvests more common

=Type of Skill: Ties=

+Spousal Support: Player & spouse abilites +1 on marriage

All of this stolen from ZeroNumerous


And Please choose starting map

Map Rise of Dong Zhuo (after Yellow Turbans)

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Map Rival Warlords ( after Lu Bu kills Dong Zhuo )

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Map Rise of Heros (Non Historical )

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Current Players
{table=head] Player | Character | Starting Location
Vauron | Vaun Ro | 2
ThePhantom | Phan Long | 2
Raistlin1040 | Song Jia | 1
Kurgan | Hu Khem | 1
Batyzero | non submitted | No choice
TheJJ | Zah Zah | No choice
[/table]

[Batyzero]

Ooh, sounds interesting!
I wouldn't mind being included.

[Thorcrest]

Wow... they're at 11 for these already... huh? I'm way behind. I'd be interested in seeing this, but I wouldn't have time to be one of the characters.

I'll go into more detail if this gets off the ground, but Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI is a turn based strategy based on the same story as the dynasty warriors line.

Actually Dynasty Warriors is based off of the earlier games in THIS series, both made by Kou Shibusawa and Koei, which started in 1984(?)(Around there anyways) which is in turn based off of the Chinese Novelisation of the Historic Period, with the earlier games lacking the more storied elements due to limits on technology of the time.

Yeah, I got into this series with 2, played a bit of 3 and own 4. I've also own, and have played extensively, 7 and 9. It might be interesting to see what is new and what has changed. I personally find the games have gotten easier as they simplify them/make the computer somehow more predictable, except for 9 which I just never really got into enough to beat and always seemed to be falling behind militarily even though I had the best cities, if not necessarily the most.

Well, that was a bit of a tangent, I'd be interested in seeing this, and I'd follow it, but I don't think I'd be a participant, unless my upcoming schedule changes drastically.

[Flickerdart]

Sounds like fun. I've never played the games, nor am I familiar with the history, so a few clarifications here and there would be swell.

[ThePhantom]

Interesting. I have heard some good things about this game. I'm in.

[HerbieRAI]

I will say 11 is a complete 180 from 10. In 10 you are a single character serving a lord or doing what you wish. 11 seems to go more toward a tactics side as you become a side and are no longer an individual character. Controlling a character will not take much time, although if you ever get a city it may.

The next question is starting time frame. I think the best starting points would either be after Lu Bu kills Dong Zhuo, or after the Yellow Turbans are defeated. They also have another setting where history is given the metaphorical finger and almost every city is controlled by seemingly random factions.

* maps moved to opening post

[Flickerdart]

You're using the wrong link: you want "Direct Link" instead of regular "Link".

[Fri]

We actually had a somewhat long running lp of rotk XI before, but it's in an indifinete hiatus I think. It was really fun while it lasts. Maybe you could get a feel for LPing this game from that one. It's really a coincidence. I was planning to have an LP of ROTK too almost at that exact point, but he released his LP first so I scratched my plan.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119505

.

[HerbieRAI]

I like his basis as well, only I was planning on giving more city control to prefects if they wish. I'll edit the opening post (along with the screens, which are more screwed up than just the wrong link) when I get to the game later tonight.

* character creation moved to starting post

[Vauron]

Name: Vaun Ro
Gender: Male
Type: Scholar
Growth: Normal
Favored Weapons: Navy + Siege
Unfavored Weapon: Spears + Pikes
Character: Cool
Voice/ Tone: Don't care
Court: For the Han
Aspiration: Goodly
Portrait: Something with a funny hat and no facial hair
Family/Friends: -----(I have no problem with him being someone's uncle/father/brother/sworn brother/whatever)

[ThePhantom]

Name: Phan Long
Gender: Male
Type: Warrior
Growth: Normal
Favored Weapon: Crossbows + Spears
Unfavored Weapon: Navy + Weaponry
Character: Timid
Voice/Tone:
Court: Yay, emperor.
Aspiration: Secure
Potrait: Something with a banada
Family/Friends: ------

[HerbieRAI]

And your characters. I can edit the friends/ family if anyone wants to start one of those later.

Vaun Ro

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Phan Long

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On a side note, my game seems to love creating powerful characters.

[Raistlin1040]

I'll put up something soon, I'm just in the middle of something.

Edit:
Name: Song Jia
Gender: Female
Type: Scholar
Growth: Normal
Favored Weapons: Crossbow
Unfavored Weapon: Pikes
Character: Cool
Voice/ Tone: Not sure what to put here
Court: Generally Positive
Aspiration: Royal
Portrait: One that is not horrifically disfigured
Family/Friends: ---

[Kurgan]

For map my vote is Rival Warlords.

Name: Hu Khem
Gender: Male
Type: Warrior
Growth: Normal
Favored Weapon: Horse, Weaponry
Unfavored Weapon: Spear, Navy
Character: Bold
Voice: ----
Court: Indifferent (or whatever the option is)
Aspiration: Military
Portrait: either something with an eyepatch or something with a helm with a sufficient number of feathers
Family/Friends: ---- (unless someone really wants a relative for their character)

This looks fun, can't wait till it starts.

[HerbieRAI]

Alright then

Song Jia

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and Hu Khem

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[The_JJ]

Name: Zahzah
Gender: Male
Type: Scholar
Growth: Normal?
Favored Weapons: Bows Spears
Unfavored Weapon: Weapons Navy
Character: Cool
Voice/Tone: Whatever
Court: Neutral
Aspiration: Able
Portrait: *shrug*
Family/Friends: If someone wants to tag along...


And let's go with Rival Warlords.

[HerbieRAI]

Zah Zah

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Rival warlords has been chosen. Now for starting location.

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1) Wan - a well defended city with some room to expand. This will also put us somewhat close to the heavy fighting. Cao Cao will be trying to destroy us.

2) Luo Yang - A very good city, with enough slots to build everything under the sun and a good supply of forts for supplemental income. It is located between 3 of the superpowers (Cao Cao, Lu Bu, and Li Jue) of this scenario, which will make this a very hard place to defend and we will be constantly under attack.

3) Jin Yang - force Zhang Yang - We'll start off with 4 other officers and are allied with Lu Bu, who is nowhere close. We will be next to 2 large powers and the city itself is pretty weak.

4) Ignore, the city is weak, but he is surrounded by allies so I don't think it will be a fun game

5) Han Zhong - force Zhang Lu - We'll start with 7 other officers, but the city is a weak one and all 3 of the surrounding factions have at least 2 cities and great officers.

Other) If you know the game and know another interesting spot

So everyone start submitting votes for the starting location. I'll probably start the game tomorrow or Sunday.

[Vauron]

2) Luo Yang - A very good city, with enough slots to build everything under the sun and a good supply of forts for supplemental income. It is located between 3 of the superpowers (Cao Cao, Lu Bu, and Li Jue) of this scenario, which will make this a very hard place to defend and we will be constantly under attack.

You have my vote now.

Will our lack of S rank pike officers be problematic? Iunno how useful the units are.

[Leecros]

You have my vote now.

Will our lack of S rank pike officers be problematic? Iunno how useful the units are.

it shouldn't be too problematic.

Then again i have only recently purchased RTK XI and am not that great at it, so take that as you will...



P.S to OP: I will be lurking.

[HerbieRAI]

Will our lack of S rank pike officers be problematic? Iunno how useful the units are.

the main units go like the following

cav > pikes > spears > cav

crossbows lose to all but have range where they take no retaliation

siege loses to all but does large damage to cities

I'm not sure what troop types Li Jue, but I think Lu Bu and Cao Cao mostly use cav so lack of pikes wont be to bad of a problem.

[Raistlin1040]

I vote Wan. Luo Yang will get us eaten alive far too quickly, and I don't like the idea of swearing allegiance to another force (especially crappy ones like Zhang Yang or Zhang Lu).

[ThePhantom]

I like the idea of number 2

[Kurgan]

My vote is for Wan. Nice city, and easier to hold on to at the beginning of the game than Luo Yang.

I agree with the sentiments that we should not be under the power of an already existent ruler, so a definite no to those options.

[HerbieRAI]

alright, we're looking for the tiebreaker vote between Wan and Luo Yang (JJ) and a submission from Batyzero if he's still around

[Flickerdart]

Luo Yang sounds good. Can't you play your powerful neighbours against one another?

[Kurgan]

Luo Yang sounds good. Can't you play your powerful neighbours against one another?

To an extent you can, but is usually involves a large sum of resources changing hands to form a "Please do not kill me" pact. That or an officer with the "Negotiator" skill. Philosophy duels ho!

[HerbieRAI]

More Characters:

Opening

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First I introduce your leader, a great general and known by the people.

Pi Shou

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And his wife, A great diplomat and a great judge of character.
Stai Huai

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Set Up:
Game settings:

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Our Capitol, Lou Yang. The Port and gate are technically in our territory, but we have yet to capture them.

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Our neighbors to the East, Li Jue. We have a slight advantage against him, his city currently only has 5 unimpressive officers. He does control a few gates between our cities, so getting to him would not be a quick march for us.

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Our neighbors to the West, Cao Cao. He will probably be our biggest adversary. He has 27 officers in his city (some are very good), and enough troops to wipe us out quick. We do have a gate between us and them.

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LP (writing will be soon)

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Pi Shou: "We have taken the City! Lets storm the tavern and begin the party!"
Stai Huai: "I think we have a few other matters to attend to. Our neighbors are strong and ready for war. We need to begin building our Lou Yang's infrastructure and appointing officers to positions as to be ready for them."
Pi Shou: "Fine, I'll make you my strategist"

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Pi Shou: "and the rest of you will have official positions as well.

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Pi Shou: "Now let the party begin!"

The Next afternoon:
Stai Huai: "While our lord recovers, we should give out construction orders for the coming weeks, while I look for new recruits to be our officers"

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Stai Huai: "Well, he may not be the best among us, but he will do. I will need to convince him to join us."

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2 minutes later:

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Stai Huai: Because that's what happens when you debate Stai Huai. Your head will explode and you will be injured. Lets see who else in this city can be of some use for us.

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Pi Shuo: "Well, our numbers have grown significantly. I think we should march out and capture the surrounding abandoned fortifications. We don't have the men to man them, but we can use them to generate extra income and food. Have Yang Xiu go capture them."

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Pi Shou: "WHHAAATTTT! I WILL HAVE HIS HEAD ON A SPEAR. HOW DARE HE ABANDON HIS POST!"

Stai Huai: "Calm down some. Maybe we should see how the other officers are feeling"

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Pi Shou: "Ok, seriously guys, where is all this hate coming from?"

Hu Khem: "Well sir, we have been building for 9 month straight, and when we signed up we thought we'd have more input into the kingdom."

Pi Shou: "Well, that makes sense. Here, have a nice bonus. We will have a council tomorrow to decide the direction of our empire."

Current State of Lou Yang.

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The Questions for the council:

1) we have 4 building slots left. Currently we have a surrounded mint, a surrounded granary, 1 barracks, 1 smith, 1 stable, and 1 workshop. The 4 slots are next to each other, what should we put there.

building explanation:

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cities only have a certain number of building slots. Lou Yang has a lot of them. A market increases gold income in a city, and a farm increases the food production. Mints and Granaries increase the generation of each market and farm they touch respectively. Therefore a surrounded mint is 6 markets and a mint in the center. The other buildings allow us to recruit troops or build equipment. Each building can only be used once per turn. Smiths build bows, spears and pikes.

2) Buildup. What should we spend our money on? Diplomacy with certain factions, build troops, build weapons.

[The_JJ]

1. Three markets and a mint! Money is truly the path to victory!

2. Let's look at annexing a neighbor or two.

[Raistlin1040]

"There's a meeting called for you, Lady Jia. Lord Shou has requested your presence in a council meeting."

Send back my refusal, soldier. I didn't learn to fight, or teach myself philosophy to be an...an...AGRICULTURAL ADVISOR. I ran away from my foolish, greedy father to help keep peace in this realm, and keep the Han Dynasty afloat, or at least find an honorable leader to construct a dynasty to replace it. But I will not see my considerable talents and goals cast aside in a position where I can do nothing.

"...Lady Jia, if I may speak freely?"

Go ahead.

"I am but a lowly swordsman, Lady Jia, but even one such as I can appreciate your insight into the workings of the world. Lord Shou has been busy with building the new kingdom, but look how far we've come in less than a year. We were fortunate enough to get Luo Yang, but now Meng Jin and Hu Lao Gate? This land could form the basis for a great kingdom, but it takes all of our Lord's considerable resources to achieve it. He has been busy, as has the Lady Huai, and I'm certain if you articulate your opinions and make the most of your position, your efforts will be rewarded with the status and respect you deserve. I would suggest attending Lord Shou's council meeting and voicing your opinions."

Hmm. I suppose you are right, soldier. What is your name?

"Zhou Shen."

Mm. Zhou Shen, I invite you to take a position as my assistant and bodyguard, in addition to your soldiering duties."

"I would be honored and humbled."

Very well. I will attend the council meeting. I will return shortly.

---

It's obvious that Lu Bu has no desire to deal with us, given that he stole one of our officers. He might be strong, but he is a warrior, not a ruler. If we can hold him off for a while, his little kingdom will collapse internally. Li Jue is far away, and his officers have neither the wits of our finest scholars, myself included, nor the martial aptitude of our warriors. We have nothing to fear from him. Soon he will find himself weakening in comparison to other rulers, and that will be our moment to strike.

Cao Cao however...I fear he might be a grave threat to us all. He doesn't seem like a man easily bribed, and I fear sending him our hard earned gold will do little to sway him if he is determined to take our land from us. I suggest building a stable and a smith, as well as a market and a farm. This will give us the ultility to raise a army quicker to defend our Gate if Cao Cao decides to attack, but will also allow us to more easily pay for and feed such an army. A ragtag army with shoddy weapons is weak, but even a broken sword can defeat a hungry one. We don't want to be in a situation where the morale of our soldiers is low, from hunger or discontent.

I suggest lying low for the time being, building a small army and retaining the means to quickly build a larger one. While we wait for action, our food supply and treasury will stay well stocked, and if we begin construction in Meng Jin, we can work on making alliances with other, stronger figures who might be able to check Cao Cao for now. When the time is right, we can strike swiftly, taking out Li Jue and expanding our territory eastward.

[Kurgan]

We need money and food to maintain our armies. I vote that we construct another mint plus three more market places. With the added revenue, we can easily afford whatever weaponry we need and simply buy food off of the peasantry for when we march.

Lady Jia, I agree with you that Cao Cao is the primary threat out there, but I disagree on your belief that lying low is the way to success. The only way to defeat a man like Cao Cao is to be bigger, and more imposing than he is! That path is simple, all we need to do is march on some of the unclaimed cities in the area, make some claims about a return to the good old days to win the loyalty of the people, and then outproduce the man.

South of us is unclaimed territory as far as the eye can see, if we take those before Cao Cao can, he will be helpless before us!