Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta, A Concept Community AAR

[Grauuu]

Families and players:
The Contarinis': Enewald
The Cybos': Hawkeye1489
The Cornaros': The_Guiscard
The Caminos': Velendesril
The Togliattis': Vesimir
The Falieros': SplendidTuesday

Right, welcome to my attempt at yet another community AAR, this time taking it a step further. So far, it is still simply a concept, to see if this would work in any way, and if people are interested at all.
I will be using DV with the DVIP mod installed.
If you have any ideas, please let me know.

It is the dawn of the 12th century, and the Republic of Venice has had great success under the Contarini family, seizing large amounts of land, not only in Italy, but also in the Balkans. However, as the republics power grow, rival families start to compete for power. The Contarini's complete control of the republic is endangered. The question remains though, will a new family rise to greatness, or will petty struggles between them cause their downfall?

So on with the basics of the game. The idea came after someone wrote in my former AAR about a similar game(think it was Enewald), where each player actually controlled a family, instead of simply voting for the next ruler. This, to me, seemed like an interesting thing to attempt, using the game itself as a base, and then letting players do several actions outside the game, to attempt to influence it.
Basically, each player control a family, who will attempt to rise in power and control the Republic. To do so, he must gain more councillors supporting him in the council, than any other family.
This can both be done by bribing councilmembers, but also by openly attacking other families and their holdings.
Each family has an army, completely independent of the republic itself, these can both be used to steal money from other players, and maybe even attempt a coup to overthrow the current ruler.
Included in this are also ships, as families have the ability to attack, raid and pillage other families, fellow Venetian traders and infidels.

Each turn will last 10 years, and players will be able to do a couple of actions, maybe even join up with other families to battle for control of the republic.
So on with the introduction of the families:

The Contarini Family, led by Alarico Contarini.

The Contarini's are the most powerful of the Venetian families. Alarico is not only the leader of the family, but also of the republic. Their current power may be slipping away however, as rivalries start erupting.

The Cybo Family, led by Silvestro Cybo.

The Cybo's are the second most powerful family, and the Contarini's biggest rivals. Controlling Treviso, the Cybo family holds considerable power close to Venice, and is a power to be feared.

The Cornaro Family, led by Valerio Cornaro.

The Cornaro's, while not as powerful as the Cybo family, are still influential to the political scene in Venice. Not only do they control a large army, their good relations with the church could be crucial, should they wish to take control of the republic. They control the rich lands of Aquileia.

The Camino Family, led by Cosmada Camino.

The Camino's aren't amongst the most powerful families, but can still be of importance if they play their cards right. Their army is hardly impressive, but their political power can be crucial.

The Togliatti family, led by Enzo Togliatti.

The Togliatti's are one of the weakest families in the republic, but that does not mean they do not have potential. Since they are weaker than most other families, they will have to be active behind the scenes, creating a web of alliances and use intrigue to gain the upper hand.

The Faliero Family, led by Ordelaffo Faliero.

The Faliero's are the weakest of the families, on top of that, they hold the poorest lands, and they are situated far away from Venice itself, in distant Greece. Though the Faliero's also have certain positives, they control a large fleet of galleys, and their size might just allow them to act more freely, as nobody expects anything from such a small power.

Family Stats:
The Contarini family.
Current Lands: Ragusa - 22
Family army: 1000 men.
Family fleet: 1 galley.
Income: 22 ducats.
Upkeep: 12 ducats.
Treasury: 15 ducats.

The Cybo family.
Current Lands: Treviso - 24
Family army: 800 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 24 ducats.
Upkeep: 8 ducats.
Treasury: 20 ducats.

The Cornaro family.
Current Lands: Aquileia - 24
Family army: 900 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 24 ducats.
Upkeep: 9 ducats.
Treasury: 20 ducats.

The Camino family.
Current Lands: Krain - 22
Family army: 600 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 22 ducats.
Upkeep: 6 ducats.
Treasury: 30 ducats.

The Togliatti family.
Current Lands: Istria - 22
Family army: 600 men
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 22 ducats.
Upkeep: 6 ducats.
Treasury: 30 ducats.

The Faliero family.
Current Lands: Euboia - 20
Family army: 400 men.
Family fleet: 3 galleys.
Income: 20 ducats.
Upkeep: 10 ducats.
Treasury: 35 ducats.


The Council
The Venetian council consists of 30 seats.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The Contarini family: 9 seats, currently in power.
The Cybo family: 4 seats.
The Cornaro family: 3 seats.
The Camino family: 3 seats.
The Togliatti family: 2 seats.
The Faliero family: 3 seats.
The church faction: 6 seats. Currently supports the Contarini family.

Church relations with the families:
Contarini: +45
Cybo: +15
Cornaro: +35
Camino: +15
Togliatti: 0
Faliero: +25

The Church therefore supports the Contarini's for the next election.

If the church hates a certain family, it may attempt to excommunicate the family. Expect grave consequences if that happens.

Political
-Attempt an assassination on a member of another family. Costs 20 ducats.
-Attempt to bribe councillors. Costs 25 ducats. (If successful, one will gain the support of a councillor.)

Church
-Support the church. (Increase relations with the church, law will be Church Supremacy, the church expects financial aid from you though.)
-Support the Burghers. (Decrease relations with the church, law will be set to Ecclesical Balance. One will recieve a higher income for as long as they support the Burghers. )
-Support neither. (Relations untouched. Law will be set to Regal Supremacy).
-Bribe members of the church. Cost 15 ducats (If successful, increases relations with the church slightly.)

Army
-Hire additional soldiers. (every 100 soldiers cost 10 ducats and 1 ducat a turn as upkeep)
-Attack another family with your army. (If successful, the entire treasure of the other family will be taken, and you will gain the support of up to three of their council members.)
-Attack a weak neighbouring county. (If successful, a random amount of gold between 20-40 is taken. Expect few casualties of your own.)
-Attack a strong neighbouring county. (If successful, a random amount of between 90-120 is taken, though the enemy is much stronger and might even retaliate.)
-Attempt a coup.(need a much larger army than the ruling family, a large gold reserve and support from several councillors to succeed.)

Trade
-Set up local trade routes. (cost 10 ducats, can let you earn up to 20 ducats. Small chance of losing everything.)
-Set up trade routes by sea. (cost 30 ducats, can earn you up to 100 ducats, though it is a much higher risk than local trade routes.)

Fleet
-Build a galley. (Cost 30 ducats and 2 ducats a turn as upkeep)
-Raid trade lanes with your galleys. (Chance to steal loot, even from other families. However, if discovered doing this, expect consequences.)
-Launch an attack on another family's harbour. (If successful, you can destroy, capture or damage the enemy fleet.)
-Launch expedition on North Africa. (If successful, one will recieve loot and in rare cases, additional ships. Large chance of failure.)


If you are interested in taking over a family, write a reply saying which you wish to take over.

Also, remember, this is still a concept and I am very open to new ideas. Anything that could improve the game, and if I've forgotten something important.

 

[unmerged(127999)]

So you play the game for us, but we tell you what to do for our families? I like it. Very interesting.

I'll pick the Falieros. My first action will be to Support the Burghers, and the second action will be set up a local trade route. Third will be to hire 100 soldiers.

 

[Grauuu]

So you play the game for us, but we tell you what to do for our families? I like it. Very interesting.

I'll pick the Falieros. My first action will be to Support the Burghers, and the second action will be set up a local trade route. Third will be to hire 100 soldiers.

Alright, that's one family taken, I better make a player list.
Good to have you onboard, I'll remember your orders when the game starts.

 

[Vesimir]

Good to see you back. And good to see you've gone with Venice instead of Genoa.

I'll go with Togliattis'. "Support neither" in church and "set up local trade routes" will be my first decisions.

Can't wait for the start of the game!

 

[unmerged(109735)]

Nice idea! Should be good.

I visit Aquileia at least once or twice a year, so of course I'd like to take the Cornaro family.

My first two actions would be to "support the church" and to "set up a local trade route". If the setting up of the trade route is successful, I will then "hire 100 additional soldiers"; if not, then not.

 

[Grauuu]

Good to see you back. And good to see you've gone with Venice instead of Genoa.

I'll go with Togliattis'. "Support neither" in church and "set up local trade routes" will be my first decisions.

Can't wait for the start of the game!

Good to see you again, great to have you onboard.
The Togliatti family is all yours!

Nice idea! Should be good.

I visit Aquileia at least once or twice a year, so of course I'd like to take the Cornaro family.

My first two actions would be to "support the church" and to "set up a local trade route". If the setting up of the trade route is successful, I will then "hire 100 additional soldiers"; if not, then not.

The Cornaro Family it is!
Good to have you joining up, good luck!

Only three more players and we'll start it up.

 

[unmerged(127999)]

Good to see you again, great to have you onboard.
The Togliatti family is all yours!



The Cornaro Family it is!
Good to have you joining up, good luck!

Only three more players and we'll start it up.

Come on, people, we need more players. Don't you all want to find out what happens in this? To be a part of it?

 

[Velendesril]

I'll try this out, sign me up please as the Camino family, this looks intriguing.

First action to be the establishment of local trade routes.

The second to be the hiring of a hundred more men into the army.

 

[Enewald]

Contarini!

I don't know how many silly things I have suggested on these forums, but I'm quite eager to see how this ends out.

Local trade routes please.

 

[Hawkeye1489]

What the hell, I've been on the fence with this one for a few days. If it is okey with you, I'll take up Ca' Cybo.

 

[unmerged(127999)]

What the hell, I've been on the fence with this one for a few days. If it is okey with you, I'll take up Ca' Cybo.

Aaaaand that's everyone. All the families are taken, and so we can start whenever Grauuu wants to.

 

[Grauuu]

Alright then, we're ready to go. Thanks to everyone who signed up.
Each turn will last 10 years, and I'll do a status report, and update the stats and such.
Going to send a pm to Enewald for his orders and goals doing his time as a ruler.
For future references, if you are elected, send me a pm with your orders, here's an example what it should include, though it doesn't have to look exactly like this, feel free to change it if you wish to:

Targets for conquest: Cities, major areas(like Southern Italy, Libya and such), focus on certain points(For example focus on coastal provinces/islands). Anything that can help me know where you want to focus.

Granting land: This should pretty much sum up who should recieve the land you take. While keeping it only to your only family may seem smart at first, maybe it will unite the other families against you? Different options could be: Own family, certain families(name them) or the church (will create a number of bishoprics, will help a bit on the relations with them.)
Can look like this: Own family - every third province. The Faliero/Cybo family - every third province. The church - every third province.

Corruption: While ruling, you will of course also be granted the opportunity to steal the vast riches the republic has, for your own family. However, there's a 50% chance of it being spotted. If you succeed, the ducats will be hidden to all other players than yourself.

Further notes: If you have anything to add, that didn't fit anywhere else, it could be written here.


Also, on another note, while basic orders, like setting up trade routes and recruiting should simply be written in the thread, more sinister plots, like bribing, assasinating and assaulting other families should be done by pm'ing me.

That's pretty much it, good luck to all of you, let's hope this doesn't end up in complete failure.


EDIT: Forgot to add this, I will also let traits have some effect, but not quite as extreme as in my old AAR. If your ruler is a coward, you might see less wars than you would have liked, while a reckless one would maybe get into too many fights.

 

[unmerged(127999)]

I'll have this public for now, because I'm not doing any overtly secret actions yet.


Targets for conquest: The weakest independent Greek Counts near me, then all of Achea/independent Anatolia.

Granting land: Half to the family, Half to the Church. However, every 5th province is granted to the current ruler of Venice.

Further Notes: If possible, the Church will be contacted for "crusading" mercenaries.

If possible, try to find (inheriting) brides from Southern Italy, for succession purposes.

Burghers will be fully supported in the individual provinces, but the Church will be supported diplomatically.

If there are no possible brides in South Italy, then find brides who have a good ability at stewardship, but no Orthodox brides.

 

[Velendesril]

Targets for the Camino family would be the Austrian county directly to the east, a diplomatic annexation if possible - otherwise military might.

 

[Hawkeye1489]

Well now, lets put in Ca' Cybo's first orders:

We wish to establish a local trade route, and will support the Church.

 

[Vesimir]

Also, my first invasion will be in Serbia if possible. All land for meself.

 

[Grauuu]

I think you might have misunderstood me earlier. The whole orders thing is in fact only for the currently elected ruler.

I have recieved the orders from Enewald, so I'll start up the game now.

 

[Grauuu]

Family actions:

The Contarinis': Local Trade Route - Success, 10 extra ducats earned.

The Cybos': Local Trade Route - Success, 10 extra ducats earned.

The Cornaros': Local Trade Route - Failure.

The Caminos': Local Trade Route - Success, 10 extra ducats earned. 100 men hired.

The Togliattis': Local Trade Route - Success, 10 extra ducats earned.

The Falieros': Local Trade Route - Success, 10 extra ducats earned. 100 men hired.



The reign of Alarico Contarini:

Alarico Contarini prepared for his reign, which would last from 1100 till 1110. His goals for his term were clear, increase Venetian influence and power in Italy.

His first target would be heading west, against the county of Verona, held by Hermann von Zähringen, son of the Duke of Kärnten, who had lost most of his power to Venice in the years before 1100, and it were now a splintered nation, with little power.
Alarico would march into Verona with a vastly superior army from Venice, numbering an incredible 19000 men.
The lowly count stood little chance and after a brief battle, his lands were under siege.

While Alarico were busy in the west, Cosma da Camino and Valerio Cornaro attempted to use their combined forces to bring down the enemy forces in Kärnten.
The attempt was a failure, leaving the armies quickly fleeing from Kärnten again, and Valerio Cornaro seriously wounded.
Following taking control of Verona, Alarico decided to sign a peace treaty with the Duke, allowing him to keep his lands in Kärnten, in return, Venice would recieve a tribute.

For the next two years, Venice stayed peaceful, but not without plans for further conquest. Alarico had already found himself new targets, Cremona and Pavia, both under protection from the Duke of Milan, who had been kicked out of Lombardia and were holding out in Switzerland.
The plan was simple, Venetian armies would rush against Cremona, taking the Milanese defenders completely by surprise. After what would be a short siege, Alarico's armies would then head for Pavia, then finally turn north, to march on the duke himself.

The invasion was a complete success, with little resistance shown from Milan, and Venice took control of both Cremona and Pavia.
It was decided by the Contarinis' that the province of Cremona should be handed over to the church, to secure further support from them.

Following the invasion of the Milanese holdings, Alarico decided to once again take a break from the constant warmongering, as his reputation was worsening amongst many rulers in the area.
However, four years later, in 1106, a great opportunity showed itself. The Venetian spymaster managed to engineer a claim for Alarico against the count of Lombardia, who had just recently declared independence.
Alarico sent a messenger, declaring that the count join the republic or suffer invasion from the superior armies of Venice.

The count had little choice but to agree, and when it was demanded that he handed over full control of his provinces to the republic, the count reluctantly agreed. Alarico had successfully taken further lands, without the need for fighting.
As his amount of land continued to grow, Alarico Contarini decided to grant the Faliero family the land of Split.

Just a year later, Alarico managed to repeat his success, this time with the Count of Brescia, Willem de Boulogne, who were in a war against a vastly superior enemy, the Duchy of Lower Lorraine.

While he was promised protection by Venice, it wasn't long before his lands too was revoked from him, and added to the growing republics'.

As his lands continued to grow, he decided to grant the Togliatti family the County of Padua, while the Contarini's themselves kept the provinces of Lombardia and Pavia for themselves.

Following these events, the rest of Alarico's years in charge ended peacefully, with the biggest being the building of a University in Venice.

By the end of his reign, Europe looked unstable, with Germany ending up splintered, and the Byzantine Empire loosing Constantiople to the muslims.

Current family leaders:

The Contarini Family:

The Cybo Family:

The Cornaro Family:

The Camino Family:

The Togliatti Family:

The Faliero Family:

Updated Stats:

Family Stats:
The Contarini family.
Current Lands: Ragusa - 22, Lombardia - 32, Pavia - 28
Family army: 1000 men.
Family fleet: 1 galley.
Income: 82 ducats.
Upkeep: 12 ducats.
Treasury: 95 ducats.

The Cybo family.
Current Lands: Treviso - 24
Family army: 800 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 24 ducats. -2 from supporting the church
Upkeep: 8 ducats.
Treasury: 29 ducats.

The Cornaro family.
Current Lands: Aquileia - 24
Family army: 900 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 24 ducats. -2 for supporting the church.
Upkeep: 9 ducats.
Treasury: 23 ducats.

The Camino family.
Current Lands: Krain - 22
Family army: 700 men.
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 22 ducats.
Upkeep: 7 ducats.
Treasury: 45 ducats.

The Togliatti family.
Current Lands: Istria - 22, Padua - 26
Family army: 600 men
Family fleet: 0 galleys.
Income: 48 ducats.
Upkeep: 6 ducats.
Treasury: 82 ducats.

The Faliero family.
Current Lands: Euboia - 20, Split - 22
Family army: 500 men.
Family fleet: 3 galleys.
Income: 42 ducats. +4 from supporting burghers.
Upkeep: 11 ducats.
Treasury: 70 ducats.


The Council
The Venetian council consists of 30 seats.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

The Contarini family: 9 seats, currently in power.
The Cybo family: 4 seats.
The Cornaro family: 3 seats.
The Camino family: 3 seats.
The Togliatti family: 2 seats.
The Faliero family: 3 seats.
The church faction: 6 seats. Currently supports the Contarini family.

Church relations with the families:
Contarini: +50 +5 from the land granted during reign.
Cybo: +20 +5 from supporting the church.
Cornaro: +40 +5 from supporting the church.
Camino: +15
Togliatti: 0
Faliero: +20 -5 from supporting burghers.

The Church therefore supports the Contarinis' for the next election.



If you spot any mistakes, let me know, hard to spot them with all this work to be done on the side.

Just to let you know, hidden acts such as bribes and such will be hidden from view for everyone, except the family in question.


So there we go, first update, lets see how this works out in the end!

 

[unmerged(127999)]

Veeery nice, I like my success. I'll build a galley and 300 soldiers.

Oh and by the way, can I raid the trade lanes of someone NOT of the Venetian families?

 

[Velendesril]

Are overland raids permitted in addition?