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Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
If the host nation of a spy network isn't putting any particular effort into finding my spies (aka. relying solely on morale) how much ESP spending per turn would be required to keep that network going indefinitely?
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"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Does defensive espionage do it already?
No. That would make it far too easy to root it out. I think my ruling on it is you can burn morale and/or defensive espionage on an internal sweep.
If the host nation isn't putting any efforts...
Then it can stay indefinitely. Keep in mind that this is only for contact and informants, not for elite assassins and whatnot. All the network will do for you is let you read messages, and maybe the occassional hearsay. If you want to spy on a nation more closely, you'll have to invest your Spyworks, or you'll have to contribute a great deal more to your spy network.
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Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
I will be hiding my messages on the principle that anyone wanting to read my messages who isn't the recipient is an enemy of the state, and will be treated accordingly.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Yes, like economy it can be moved, though like economy, it will not be usable for a single turn.
This conversations reminds me of PMs. My stance on PMs is they are all right, but don't abuse it. If EVERYTHING you're doing is a PM I'll probably make all the NPCs start eyeing you suspiciously. That being said, I'll probably ask players to submit a list of who they had a PM with, so those who have the ability to read messages won't know what you said, but who you said it with.
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Will have limited to no internet the rest of the week.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
I usually just copy the GM onto any PMs I send that are game related. Keeps the GM informed as to what is going on. I'll still probably post a list on my EOT though.
Also when will the IC be up?
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
IC is looking like Friday or Sunday (will be travelling Saturday).
As fro including me on PMs, I'll ask players to send me the PM when the conversation is conlcuded. One PM covering a back and forth conversation is fine. Seven PMs of every back and forth is unecessary and will fill my PM box way too fast.
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Will have limited to no internet the rest of the week.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
How many PMs can we send per EoT?
In fact, since this is my first TW game, I'm going to need a bit of hand-holding as to the basics for the first couple of turns. Anyone willing to give me a little guide?
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Fair enough.
Also just to let you know I will probably be using PMs a lot. After all a large part of my strategy is to be an ESP source for sale. I can't have people knowing who hired me to do what. So people will likely be fairly suspicious of me, but again that is to be expected given my business. That being said I will likely keep anything not related to hiring me a non-PM.
To everyone not GM: if you want to hire me send me a PM. Keeps dealings more private.
Edit: @Ascaloth: I could help you a bit. put any questions here/OOC, or send me a PM if it is too related to your plans to post it for everyone to see.
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Last edited by hydroplatypus : 10-16-2012 at 08:00 PM.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
@hydro,
Thanks.
I guess first of all, is there a link for me to see what the basic rules of TW games are? How many PMs I can send, how many actions my VIPs can take, so on and so forth.
For a more detailed summary, well I don't have one. It probably exists but I picked up the rules by asking people, so don't have them written in one place. I can likely answer any questions, but have yet to find a detailed summary.
In this particular game it seems that you can send as many PMs as you want, but the more you send the more suspicious NPC will get of you. Also as courtesy try to keep as much as possible in the IC thread, otherwise Espionage really doesn't serve one of its better purposes (reading other people's messages).
VIPs are generally limited to 1 action/turn, which gets all of their actions. Any deviations from this rule that are desired should be taken up with the GM. Given that the TW rules often change greatly from game to game he might very well let you deviate from this rule.
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
i can almost guarantee there are no "rules" to link you to. as Hydro pretty much stated, TW is really just a dozen different systems all under one name. sure once you get the hang of one set of rules, the others fall into place but i have never heard of a detailed writeup on the various interpretations of the rules.
__________________
"let our mercy, as deep as the feitas, and our auhority, as powerful as the sun, be revealed to the entire world!"
"Damn! I gotta say, you just let down every man in Falena..."
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ascaloth
So PMs do not count as an action for VIPs?
Seems unlikely.
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Wow. So I can have, say, my diplomat VIP hit EVERY stop she wants on her itinerary by the first EoT, if she likes?
Before I forget, what rules do Leaders have that make them different from their VIPs, apart from their stats? Can I send Leaders out on trips to other Factions, as well?
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Other than the stat differences the only difference I would expect would be that you would take a bigger morale hit when he dies than if a non-leader VIP were to die. So very little difference other than stats.
Edit: also ya your NPC could probably hit every stop, however I recommend that you keep non-vital dealings as non-PMs so as not to arouse suspicion/make my spy-works useless.
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Last edited by hydroplatypus : 10-16-2012 at 08:55 PM.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ascaloth
Wow. So I can have, say, my diplomat VIP hit EVERY stop she wants on her itinerary by the first EoT, if she likes?
Before I forget, what rules do Leaders have that make them different from their VIPs, apart from their stats? Can I send Leaders out on trips to other Factions, as well?
Honestly, I have no idea. You'd have to ask daelrog for the specifics of how it works in this particular game. Every Total War has different rules. All I know with absolute certainty are the rules of the game I myself am running.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Quote:
Originally Posted by oblivion6
i can almost guarantee there are no "rules" to link you to. as Hydro pretty much stated, TW is really just a dozen different systems all under one name. sure once you get the hang of one set of rules, the others fall into place but i have never heard of a detailed writeup on the various interpretations of the rules.
Well I wouldn't call them different systems just variations of the main rules, which are basically that each nation has various stats which they use to do actions in an EoT (End of Turn just in case someone didn't know that acronym).
Some of the variations can be pretty heavy, but I would say most games more or less conform to that with maybe one special variation as determined by the GM.
Also you've never seen a detailed writeup, because no one wants to help me edit and update the wiki.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ascaloth
Wow. So I can have, say, my diplomat VIP hit EVERY stop she wants on her itinerary by the first EoT, if she likes?
Before I forget, what rules do Leaders have that make them different from their VIPs, apart from their stats? Can I send Leaders out on trips to other Factions, as well?
Well you would probably need to get permission from everyone whose borders you are crossing.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArcaneStomper
Also you've never seen a detailed writeup, because no one wants to help me edit and update the wiki.
I have Mid term exams next week, but after that I might be willing to help keep the wiki updated/write up a basic summary of the rules. Send me a PM to remind me next Saturday, as my exams should be done by then.
__________________
"The AI does not hate you, nor does it love you, but you are made out of atoms which it can use for something else" - Eliezer Yudkowsky
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArcaneStomper
Well I wouldn't call them different systems just variations of the main rules, which are basically that each nation has various stats which they use to do actions in an EoT (End of Turn just in case someone didn't know that acronym).
Some of the variations can be pretty heavy, but I would say most games more or less conform to that with maybe one special variation as determined by the GM.
yeah, i realized systems wasnt the right word as soon as i posted but i was too lazy to edit.
__________________
"let our mercy, as deep as the feitas, and our auhority, as powerful as the sun, be revealed to the entire world!"
"Damn! I gotta say, you just let down every man in Falena..."
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
I cannot promise to keep up with my deadlines, BUT I can promise to communicate when I don't. I was hoping to get it started today, but I'm at a conference now, and thngs are pretty busy. Still trekking along.
If someone wants to volunteer to finish up Zemalac's map, I can send you the rough coordinates of each faction, PC and NPC, that would be about half the work still left.
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Will have limited to no internet the rest of the week.
Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
Hey! Daelrog cleared me to join, so I'm just going to throw my application in. Hope nobody minds!
Name of Nation: The Empire of Whitecliff
Brief History:
A nation that originated from the mountain city of Whitecliff, an impressive city that had once laid claim as capital of an entire continent-spanning empire, it was one of the few complete cities capable of surviving when the world below was overtaken, its place on the highest of peaks having provided it security from the monsters alone. Its impressive walls, for its time, allowed it protection from the nasty creatures that had attempted to scale the mountain when the Great Discord began. The walls of steel, cannon, mortar, shot, and-- at times-- blade secured the city's future as the refugees within attempted to make life livable.
Yet even with the floating fortress of the Castile, it could not manage the growing population within. Mortar and cannon shell and bullets could not stem the growing populace threatening to spill over the battered walls of the city and lure the monsters below with the scent of life and miserable squalor.
And so the Castile became a new home, not just for the navy ships and army craft, but for the laborers and the day-to-day menials that fueled the burning forges. It was thus that two distinct cultures evolved. The industrious, hardworking folk of the Bastile, floating its eternal vigil over Whitecliff, which had become the creative, bustling economic heart of the nation. With Whitecliff's access to mountain minerals and the soil it has since utilized for growing crops, it has provided the city a seemingly infinite source of income.
Culture: There are two distinct cultures worth mentioning. That of Whitecliff and that of Bastile. The state religion, the Abbey of Deus Volt, the Lightning God, is a religion founded in admiration of the elements and the cycle of life. By worshiping Deus Volt, and working to oppose the trickery of Deus Terra, the Earth God, the Abbey of Deus Volt seeks to attain command of the skies and ascend to the heavens above in time.
Whitecliff: The capital of the Empire, Whitecliff is a city that is commonly portrayed as both mercantile and sophisticated in paintings and songs produced from within. Great minds, the byproduct of generations of careful breeding and delicately arranged marriages, serve as the innovative juggernauts that run Whitecliff's laboratories. Labs that produce everything from new surgeries to the weapons and ships and tools that give the nation such a useful source of income. The majority of the populace here is either upper-class or the servants and serfs thereof, working in the mines and the precious hanging farms that provide food to not only the aristocracy, but to the Bastile as well. Ships of all nations are welcome here by flying the symbol of the Hydra, indicating their peaceful intentions. Those that fly a false flag are permanently exiled and made target of the nation's extensive assets, as the Empire desires only prosperity and peace within its borders. Life here is refined, with cobblestone streets, towering apartment buildings with plaster facades and shining electric lanterns strung up above the streets, streets occasionally frequented by the carousing of the upper class and military officers.
Bastile: A much more impoverished, yet, in contrast, durable place. The floating city-turned-military fortress, the keystone of Whitecliff's defenses, this sprawling city can be described as three parts factory, two parts ergonomic housing, and five parts floating citadel. Its impressive steel walls and bristling cannons are manned-- in times of crisis-- by a mixture of city guard, army, and civilian auxiliaries. The workers here strive to assist in making the inventions of innovators become a reality, as well as processing the raw materials dredged up from Whitecliff and turning them into various necessary goods. Life here is somewhat spartan, but it is not without happiness, for the wealth of the Empire allows most citizens to enjoy ales and the occasional party, as well as the larger festivals occasionally thrown on important times of the year. It's a point of Bastile humor that few men can work as hard as a Bastile man, let alone party as hard.
One Leader, Name and Description:
Emperor Desmond Torian, fourth Emperor of the Torian lineage, master of the Steel Throne:
Having reached a ripe age of forty, Emperor Torian is a man who was born and raised in the throne, having come to lead the nation to its current position as a country that offers some of the most sophisticated services and technologies imaginable. His training in statecraft and the arts of trade and negotiation have made him nearly impervious to any attempts to dethrone him, the Royal Guild of Assassins having reached a new zenith of power. His decades in command, however, have given him early gray hairs, though he has not let those gray hairs diminish his energy.
Standing at six foot two, he is a rather tall and lanky figure, his hair neatly trimmed and combed. He prefers to wear the dark blue fur cape of the throne, the ermine trim-- centuries old-- as brilliant as ever. He also wields the solid gold clockwork scepter that is representative of the power of the throne, proudly displaying the impressive crown of the Empire wherever he makes himself present.
Two other VIPS: Guildmaster Thaddeus Smith of the Royal Guild of Assassins: Just as his title indicates, Thaddeus Smith is the residing Grandmaster of the Royal Guild of Assassins, the designated bodyguard of the Emperor and the shadowy left hand to his right. A veteran assassin of many campaigns and missions, Thaddeus was a waif like many of those adopted into the Guild, raised and integrated into a brotherhood of masters among masters. His experience in both the gadgets of his craft, as well as the intricacies and complexities, has made him into an espionage asset of terrifying qualities.
Standing at five foot ten, he is not the tallest, but such is a fine trait for a grandmaster assassin. He commonly travels with a coterie of intelligence officers intermixed with fellow elite assassins, the identities of which he chooses not to specify as to which is which, much to his mirth. He is lighthearted at times and some would go so far as to describe him as jolly, though whether or not this is a facade or who he actually is is unknown.
Imperial Philosopher Gideon Roseburrow:
A mastermind of his craft, Gideon Roseburrow was responsible for not only revolutionizing the means by which food is harvested to feed the lower class, but for the invention of a number of modifications and alterations and devices that enabled the nation to advance in almost all fields of natural philosophy and science. His additions to the airship program, firearms, and clockworks have produced some entirely new fields of study. His brilliance has proven such that he currently resides as the Court Philosopher, recognized as the greatest mind in the Empire, and worthy of both spoiling and praise.
An overweight fellow with bright, rosy cheeks, he often walks with the aid of a cane, his short-cropped dark brown hair and curious green eyes examining everything he looks at. On occasion he will obtain a glazed-over look in his eyes, as if seeing something others may not, before going on his merry way. His workshop on the Bastile is vaunted as a fortress of its own, one that constantly churns out new innovations and designs.
Name Two Cities:
Whitecliff, the capital city atop The Mountain.
Bastile, the floating fortress-factory city.
Desired Reputation (Noble, Cunning, Monstrous): Cunning with an aspiration towards being noblemen in their dealings, especially in the sciences. Their penchant for assassins and intrigue, however, can give them a bit of a black sheep distinction when it is likely that the enemy has more money than oneself.
Desired Stats:
Spoiler
Military: The Empire does not maintain a large active military as such. Most navy vessels are dedicated towards fighting pirate craft, excluding a few cruisers kept in reserve in the case of pirates, whilst most vessels are sleek frigates and aerial sloops intended to deploy elite assassins and their gear where they would be most devastating. Army forces are likewise small, the garrison on the Bastile having been trained mostly to man the walls and the defenses therein, intending to annihilate any fleets that come within range of their guns. The defenses themselves are exotic in nature, a result of the mixture of subterfuge and new innovation, massive cannons and mighty mortar emplacements ready to rain hell upon those who would seek to invade the Empire's lands. Assuming, of course, they can keep a coherent enough force to land troops when every shadow might contain a dagger.
-Navy: Low.
-Army: Very Low.
-Defense: Average.
Spyworks: Very High. The Empire of Whitecliff has long maintained an extensive spyworks program, symbolized by the Hydra, with the intent of being the most powerful force of assassins and spies in the known world, hiring their services out and employing them both internally and externally. Assassins and agents are chosen from the waifs and orphans of Bastile and Whitecliff, occasionally drawing prospective students from the secondary children of noble families. These agents are raised in a culture of espionage and brotherhood, trained to defend the throne and the stability of the Empire.
Economy: High. Whitecliff is a large source of raw materials, from the mines of the mountain it sits atop to the farms it operates and provides food from. These raw materials have fueled a growing industry and provided many exports, securing Whitecliff's position of wealth in the toughest of times.
-Wealth: High
Innovation: High. Careful breeding programs and an abundance of educated minds have enabled the Empire to cultivate some of the brightest minds around, innovative souls that work to further the understanding of philosophies and nature.
Reputation: The reputation of Whitecliff is one as a nation that encourages scientific progress, but guards it viciously with its talented assassin corps, available for hire amongst other nations. These elite agents are nightmares unto themselves, armed with the latest techno-gadgetry available, and maintain a vigil over the country. It is peaceful, however, in its dealings, and works to maintain strict neutrality in most conflicts unless there is a paying side. An unprofitable war is a war not worth fighting. As such, their reputation objective is to be honorable mercenaries willing to give all factions their services.
Morale: Low. The Empire of Whitecliff has faced turbulent times in the aftermath of its lost glory, but the current Emperor has maintained a steady hand and fairness in his application of both old and new laws. The Royal Assassins assist in eliminating the worst rabblerousers amongst the lower classes, and the inventors and free thinkers are kept content by the Empire's coffers in exchange for their support as State Philosophers. Unrest is still increasing, however, and several projects to increase city size and food production are in the works to counterbalance these problems.
Flair:
"The mark of the Hydra. It is a creature of mythos and shrouded in fiction and vast tales, but the presence of its mark is something that strikes fear into the hearts of even the most hardy and steadfast of buccaneer. It is not because of some vague threat of being consumed by the multi-headed abomination, but rather, the knowledge of what the Hydra represents. The Hydra is the Emperor's sigil. It is representative not only of the inability of those who attack the Hydra to slay it, for each head lopped off grows two more, but also for the fact that the Hydra shall rend apart those that seek to try the futile act of slaying it. The Hydra has long been the seal of protection for not only the Emperor, but those who travel with the Emperor's blessings or hold that which is dear to him. To strike against a ship bearing the symbol of the Hydra is suicide. Not because of some threat lurking within the ship... but the threat posed by those that serve the Emperor from the shadows, the many heads waiting to emerge when one is lopped off. Ready to rend apart those that would seek to behead the Empire."
--A Treatise on the Hydra in Modern Philosophy, David Bartlett Esq., Grand Master of the Royal Guild of Intelligencers and Diestros, retired.
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Re: Total War: Steampunk Skies (Recruitment closed)
