So, is it just we two ... or we three?

Also:


does this mean I have:
2 additional Diplmatic Actions each round
3 additional Imperial Shock Troops
4 additional Heretics
1 additional Colonial Rangers

and, what are Heretics and Colonial Rangers?

just the two of you.

The units gained from allied factions deploy at faction homeworld. However, these units might change hands later through Intrigue.

Also correct is that some allied factions add additional diplomatic actions. (Specific actions - so, Baron Gurati gains two free uses of * Diplomacy: Take control of target World that has no enemy armies on it. ) It's all in the rules. Units from the allied factions can be purchased and are deployed on the faction Homeworld.

All special units are listed in the rules. Fluff-wise, Discordian heretics are the opposition of the TechnoPope (who heads the Church of Mankind), and the Colonial Rangers are the supermen who keep small scale peace in the frontier worlds (like marshals in the Wild West movies).

Also, you can buy your allies' units at your homeworld- a significant matter of importance!  However, the more of them you buy, the more vulnerable you are to intrigue!

Correct :)

I outlined the orders format in the rules redux thread, if you are unsure about anything, ask.

there is room for two more players, for later on.

All my noble actions failed!  How can this be!?

Alas... you are lucky, Baron Gurati!

Lol. Okay, for each noble action you should write:

[who][where][what][roll]

e.g.

Duke of Fnordia (A1): Diplomacy - Eden (E6). Rolled 1

so I get to use the spectacular failures as backdrop to some RPG set in this conflict :)

Some updates put in Character description and Map.

PM:

Since I got a higher initiative, I will now make everything public... This shadow of war makes things interesting.

actually, in the original rules there is no fog of war. But since we want to make it interesting, each player will have only a vague idea of the opponent's units.

rules clarification - noble action:

* Govern: Income of world + 1D6-1D6; Automatic success, minimum +1

so even if you manage to roll a negative number or 0, you still get +1 megacredit.

Also, to make things easier to me, always list all your armies and where they are :)

Also, nobles who move or fight, can't use diplomatic actions that turn.

Also, allies give additional special actions for free. use them :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:30, Fri 21 Mar 2008.

next turn is posted. :) I'll try to come up with a nicer way to represent the map.

I keep the positions of my units noted under character description.  Would you prefer it in the map thread?

In the map thread please.

Dear Baron Gurati,

I have noticed that you have taken some interest in this sector of space.  I wish to inform you that we have already received a pending royal charter under Code &8-Sigma-3.  Indeed, I daresay the royals themselves and especially the Technopope support the holy crusade of House Kadesh to help the heathens.  While I'm sure House Gurati would like to help, I'll politely take this opportunity to ask you to find another sector of space.

Thank you for your interest,
A lack of cooperation may result in unfortunate consequences,
House Kadesh is not responsible for the understandable fanaticism of third parties.

With universal love,
Countess Kadesh.

I'm going to change my move.

please do ... but please remember that "Crush the Gurati" is a military action, not a Noble Action.

Funny!  I was just RPing the message.  Of course you can respond however you want!

(Darn, I just realized how terribly I played last round.)

Hey, GM Void, how will this next turn work if we have combat?  I mean, it's hard to declare battles if we don't know who moves first and what the result of THOSE combats are.  Or are we going to all move at once and then combat are done and those who have higher initiative count as the aggressor in all battles?

Every war is a gamble :)

as outlined in the  rules thread, your initiative score will determine when your units move. You might use * Strategic Planning: Automatic success. +1 or -1 to Initiative roll next turn. as a noble action to be fairly sure that yor turn will come before or after the opponent. Then again, so can he.

As for taking losses, you should include a priority number for each of the armies within a group, e.g.

1 kadesh warrior priests (2), 2 Imperial Death Squads (1), 3 Robot Death Machines (3)

The army with the lowest priority number will be sacrificed first. So in the example, the first two damage points will each destroy one death squad, the third will destroy the priests, and the final three will each take one death machine.

If the priority is not set, I'll decide. who gets hit. I also do all the rolls for combat and so on.

You just give orders, and... well, the sector is a big place, and it takes a long time to pass messages from one spot to the next. All movement for one side is simultaneous, then all movement for the other side.

This also keeps the game from slowing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:29, Sun 23 Mar 2008.

I just wanted to be sure that you had no problem with us ordering troops to move that no longer exist.  The strategy one would have could be vastly different, after all.

well, real generals often ended up ordering troops who no longer existed too. :)

Okay, I had to rewrite my mind a bit to get over some arcane bias about playing in such a way, but I'm cool with the experiment now :).  I'll be considering strategy and should have my turn finished tomorrow.

I hope that you both had a happy bunnyfest :)

now, back to the game. I hope the baron is with us as well?

Was that too vague, Sir Void?  I can give concrete commands.

Btw, I was thinking of writing a program so players can more easily play it on their computers.  Any thoughts before I embark on the project?