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Five Player Mediterranean PBEM

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Court Jester
Feb 28, 2002
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med_map.jpg


Start Date:
Following release of patch 1.05

Players:
Storey
Raul the Runt
boehm
Ludovico
Backpack

System:
EUII Version 1.05

Scenario:
Grand Campaign

Settings:
Difficulty Level: Hard
AI Agressiveness: Normal
Forced Annexation: On
Fog of War: On
Dynamic Missions: Off
Base Victory Points: On

Turn Length:
7 years

Player Rotation Order for Each Round:
ABCDE
CBAED
EBDAC
BEADC
DAECB
ABCDE (repeat cycle)

Selectable Nations:
Granada
Fez
Savoy
Modena
Tuscany
Siena
Naples
Ragusa
Alabania
Hellas
Antalya
The Knights
Cyprus
Tunisa
Mantua
Algiers
Teke
Karaman

Player Order for the Initial Round (The big auction):
Each player will be given 500 ducats and 3 DP clicks (value = 150 ducats per DP click). An auction will be held to pick starting positions. Whatever is not spent in the auction, will go into the initial treasury for your nation.

Editable Game Features:
Players will be able to edit the AI file for their nation

The AAR:
An AAR will be created for this game. Posting updates there is not mandatory (although it is encouraged ;) ). If you have the time/desire to do so, great go for it. If not, that's okay too. We all have RL to deal with.:)


Additional Ground Rules:

1. Each player selects their country during their first turn.
2. For the first two turns you can attack anyone but you can't annex or make a vassal of a human controlled country. After that you can annex anyone.
3. Each player has up to 2 days to complete as much of their turn as they can.
4. Save games should be zipped. At the end of a player's turn, that player will email the zipped save game all players. The next players turn then begins.
5. Absolutely no cheating.
6. No reloading (other than CTD forced.)
7. An existing player who loses their country can rejoin the game during the next turn (in their scheduled slot). They must select a country of roughly equal or lesser power to the other human countries in play at that time. At the start of their new turn, and before playing, they will announce in the MP forum what their intended choice is. Any disputes over the selection will be resolved prior to gameplay.
8. Diplomacy outside of the actual game mechanics is legitimate.
9. Expansion by taking excessive loans and having planned bankrupcies is considered cheating. Please see rule 5.
10. Loans to the AI, turbo annexing, and inciting native uprisings to destroy another nation's colonies/TP's you have MA with are also considered as illegal cheats/exploits.
 
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Hard/Normal is all right with me. Play rotation looks good also.

Joe
 
Any objections to Hard/Normal?:)

I am willing to play at whatever level we want.

Thoughts on rule 7?

What do we need to add still/address?
 
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It all sounds good to me.

Joe
 
On the AAR:

Any volunteers to do the intro chapter there? *Backpack covertly takes one step back*:)

Also, recommendations for a title?
 
Do we want to do an AAR? I enjoy doing it but its not something we should do unless most if not all want to. How about it Bohem, Raul the Runt and Ludovico? If we do want to do tit I will write the intro but at least four out of the five have to want to participate.

Joe
 
Hard/Normal is good with me, and rule 7 seems fine...

Yes, I can contribute to the AAR, and can also help with the start if needed. How are we going to start it? If we are space aliens I might not. :D

I did just think of something that should be mentioned - I think intentionally going bankrupt whould be considered an exploit. Reason being is that inflation is tied to the AI (so go bankrupt, wait for the AI to bring your inflation down).

Other than that, looks like everything is good.

Edit: I meant the inflation is tied to the humans (and thus to the other players). As Backpack mentioned...
 
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That's a good point on the bankruptcy strategy. I hadn't thought of that...but....I have noticed that the inflation rate seems to reset to whatever the other human players are at.

Joe, what strategy did you intend to use for Byzantium (assuming that is your choice)? I have seen MrT and someone else in the dummies AAR talking about how to do it without taking out excessive loans. Thoughts...:)

On the AAR I will go with whatever style/storyline proposed...
 
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Sounds great already. Nice summary, Backpack.

As for the AAR, I actually had intended to post in our current AAR, but I seriously overestimated how much time I have to spend on the game. Realistically, I don't think I will be able to post. On the other hand - I do enjoy ready the rest of yours:p

Anywho, back to work.

Raul the Runt
 
You could always end your other PBEM's by taking out the max number of loans, conquering your neighbors, and then bowing out when the bankrupcies and BB wars hit...:) That way you could say you were retiring at the high point of your career...:)...and....you would then have time to write in our Med AAR....;)

Hey, just a suggestion...:D You know me....always trying to be helpful...:D...usually...helping myself to a province here, a province there....:)
 
Originally posted by Backpack
That's a good point on the bankruptcy strategy. I hadn't thought of that...but....I have noticed that the inflation rate seems to reset to whatever the other human players are at.

Joe, what strategy did you intend to use for Byzantium (assuming that is your choice)? I have seen MrT and someone else in the dummies AAR talking about how to do it without taking out excessive loans. Thoughts...:)

On the AAR I will go with whatever style/storyline proposed...
Click to expand...

I never take loans unless it is absolutely, completely, no other choice in sight, necessary. When playing a small country, loans can be the death of you! :eek: The bankruptcy strategy should be outlawed! If you have take loans and if you go bankrupt its okay because it can happen. I just don't want anyone using bankruptcy as a strategy.

To play Byzantium you will need a lot of luck. There are a couple of countries in our group that are slated for a quick death so luck and skill are required to survive. I think everyone knows that getting into an alliance is one of the keys for survival. But what alliance for what country differs greatly. If you notice I haven't said how I'll play Byzantium. :D I don't want to give any tips away. :D

As to the AAR style that is a matter of choice for each player. It can be written any way you want. A log AAR. A character driven AAR. A story type AAR. Anything you feel comfortable writing. Most of the time I have time to try to wax a little poetic but sometimes time is not available to do more that list what has happened it the game. I do it to let the other players know generally what has happened and to hopefully entertain any readers who stumble on the AAR. If I write the intro it will be to let the reader know what the rules are and what the world setting is for the game. I’m going to write the game from a different perspective for each turn. Nothing too involved just a story style narrative. If we get four out of the five to do it then it’s a go. Since Raul the Runt can’t do it then its up to Bohem decide the AAR fate. Maybe the person who goes first should have the honors?
 
Okay, sounds good. I didn't want to stand up and shout NO PLANNED BANKRUPCIES! if that was your plan since it would be rude to do so without asking first.

now though...having gotten some feedback....

NO PLANNED BANKRUPCIES!:D

I'll add it to the rules post.
 
One question I just thought of. If I play first and take Siena can I annex any country even if it is one the playable countries? I could annex Tuscany but someone might have wanted to start as Tuscany. On the other hand it could put Siena in a real bind if they can't expand because of this. My choice is that any country on the list not controlled by a human is a fair target.

Joe
 
Originally posted by Storey
One question I just thought of. If I play first and take Siena can I annex any country even if it is one the playable countries? I could annex Tuscany but someone might have wanted to start as Tuscany. On the other hand it could put Siena in a real bind if they can't expand because of this. My choice is that any country on the list not controlled by a human is a fair target.

Joe
Click to expand...

We should be free to annex any nation which is not yet selected. Even if I was planning on playing Tuscany, I would probably change my selection if you took Siena before I played my first turn. Probably not a good idea to have someone who was able to conquer England and invade Europe as Ireland for a next door neighbor in a competitive game...:)
 
Since we brought up planned bankrupcy as an exploit/possible cheat, are there any other actions that should be considered illegal for this game?

Turboannexing and loans to the AI come to mind....

I vote thumbs down on both of those..:)
 
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Originally posted by Backpack
Since we brought up planned bankrupcy as an exploit/possible cheat, are there any other actions that should be considered illegal for this game?

Turboannexing and loans to the AI come to mind....
Click to expand...

I agree both should be out. Too easy to exploit.

Joe
 
How about...

1. using an explorer/army to incite a native uprising in a TP/colony owned by an AI nation with which you have military access?

The natives revolt and wipe out the TP/colony allowing you to stake a claim on that land...no BB points and no drop in relations with the affected AI nation....

I don't like this one and vote against it.

and

2. Retreating your armies from battle. I do this if I am losing to heavy cavalry forces in plains or desert provinces. I don't consider it a cheat...just a tactical decision since you lose 10% of your force by doing this (the rear guard left behind to fight a delaying action.):)
 
What about the trading maps issue? Its personally one I do not play with in my own games, but in mp with others you are pretty well forced too if everyone is doing it. The race to Delhi CoT.

I agree that Loans to the AI and using explorer to incite rebellions against trading posts should both be off limits.

The retreat option I think is ok, especially since we will have only one army in the early going.

Turboannexing, I think not. It does give more BB now, but we are only on hard. Although accidental turboannexing is ok, but if if you blatantly enter a war with turboannexing in mind I think it is too much of an exploit (the repeated peace offer situation).

Edit: Oh yes, I am for the 500 ducat, three move slider issue. I think it gives us all a fighting chance.
 
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I don't know on the trading maps issue. I could go either way.

Personally I say thumbs down on trading maps....but...that can get frustrating if you never get that random explorer.

Storey, RtR, boehm...what do you guys think?

I put the starting auction policy in the top thread. I am for it...but...do not think we should get the extra DP clicks throughout the game as proposed earlier. This puts a lot more value on the initial auction.:)
 
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hi guys....

well, first of I think trading maps is perfectly OK...I mean otherwise it will just become a race to attack portugal and take their capital....or do u want to outlaw the sacking of enemy capitals? *g* - ...I do however know what u mean and I would be willing to agree to ban this provided we played with being able to purchase explorers....simply by editing away say 1000d (or 2k ?) and then typing in the cheatcode giving one random explorer...or conquestador...anyone? (ofcause not before say 1520 or 1550?)

...about byzantium I think the key is that u have to be able to cut the ottoman down before he gets too strong...I just tried it in a game yesterday and I had no big difficulty in grabbing four ottoman provinces before january 1426....Im actually more worried that byzantium is too strong since they have all those shields....which means that if they survive they are likely to grow into a real empire (first recreating the western empire with france and now the chance of recreating the eastern empire with byzantium....hmmm tempted! :D )...ofcause they are in orthodox techgroup but?? - any thoughts?.....

All the other rules sounds very reasonable...and Im ok with the AAR although Im afraid my contributions will probably not be so artistic ...but more like the stuff in my later posts in the other AAR
 
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