I wrote one in Delphi already, but right now my computer is out of commission :)

Also, you can't give decision trees in the commands, since the entire package is considered to be "sent" to the various units without knowing if you have won strategic initiative or not. I like this level of uncertainty more than the IGO-UGO system, and this game is the trying grounds for it.

Oh, if the Baron does not post his move till friday evening my time, I'll move for him.

Lucky, then, that I got in on time.

Works been running me deep this week ... sorry if it caused any tension.

nope, no tension :) I figured RL stuff had taken its toll.

I probably need to rewrite AGAIN!

too late for a rewrite. I am already writing the move.

:)

I like the way things develop, full of twists and turns. I havent rolled the battles yet tho.

Oh well, I did rewrite it just now in case you want it :).

P.s. I know I lost big this turn either way.

the imperial scribes report...

two more noble houses appear to have sent their representatives to the sector.

Howdy all!  I'm new to the game, so it may take me a round or two to learn the ropes, but I should pick it up quickly.  A quick question about dice rolling:

It looks like all the rolls are public, even those that might influence decisions (like init).  Are we doing anything to keep someone from waiting until the other players have rolled, and then using their results to plan your move?

Ah, I did not understand that nobles added psychic dice.  That might have been a useful thing to know and I would have added them to my attack.  I thought they merely gave +1, FS.  With psychic, they are much more devastating. Also, where did my jumpships that retreated end up (or was that just fluff for they all died)?

all moves are simultaneously posted. You can't really know if the other player hasn't spent a few strategic planning actions and that 2 he rolled isn't in fact a 6 for initiative. It doesn't really matter if you know what the other player's initiative *roll* is ;) since I just might tilt things to foil such tactics.

the moves are secret, so no worry there.

The two latest players were both hell bent on acquiring the surgeons of Silex :) fun.

addendum to ally list:

nitrix

Surgeons of Silex	Recruit Noble =1 & Income = 1
Rimspace Pirates	2 Pirates
Mercenary Guild		4 Mercenaries	
Imperial Beaurocracy    Strategic Planning =1

lortran

Church of Mankind	Diplomacy = 2
Mercantile Consortium	Income = 2
Black Market		2 Nuclear Arsenals & Income = 1
Spacing Guild		2 Jumpships & Income =1

as per the rules, nobles add +1 AD, first strike, and are psychic. EDIT: oh, and they are impossible to kill as long as there is even one unit of their side on the battlefield.

They are T3h D3adly.

The attacking jumpships died, persumably because they had to become exposed to offload the invasion force.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:40, Fri 28 Mar 2008.

Also, most probably there won't be any updates till monday morning CET. Use the time for IC chatter ;) try to get the newcomers on your side.

I saw that they gave +1 AD and FS, but the psychic notation on the ruleslist was not corroborated elsewhere and I figured it was a typo.

Looks like the Nitrix won the ally rolls.

All in all, I think it was a good round because, had I crushed the Gurati, it would have been very bad for the balance of the game.  I feel everyone's about equal at the moment.

--Newsfeed from the Nitrix Homeworld--

The statuesque white walls of the Nitrix Imperial Estate are poked and broken will bullet holes and charred from the impact of bursting shells.  In the background, the sounds of battle can still be heard, though in short bursts rather than in long protracted measures.  The camera panned slowly across showing the gray uniforms of Nitrix warriors, some of them wore bandages or were propped up by their neighbor, but all buzzed with excitement.  The murmur of anticipation rose in pitch, and the camera swung up and away to focus anew at a balcony overlooking the courtyard.  Passing by a burning tapestry that bore the heraldry of the Nitrix noble line, three tall solem men in officer's uniforms strode into view, and a cheer rose up from the crowd below.  Dekko Nitrix pulled off his officer's cap before leaning forward and bracing his hands against the guard rail, letting that triumphant call wash over him for a moment, and then, rose one hand up in a fist calling for silence.

"Nine years ago, my brothers, I came to you with a promise." he said, eshewing the use of a microphone and trusting to the acoustics of the Estate to carry his booming voice to his men, "I swore to you that if you followed me, Nitrix would no longer be a "minor" House.  That no longer would the Empire be able to overlook us for it's favored sons, The Gurati and the Kadesh.  No longer would you be forced to bow and scrape to a man, who would be content to eat the scraps from the floor, when our glorious people should be at the head of the table!  For nearly a decade, you heard my words, and put faith in my ability.  Invested your sweat, blood, and the lives of your children, and now, I say to you that the old era is dead!  Lord Gendel Nitrix has been killed, like a coward, in his own bedchambers, and now we," he paused to gesture out towards his soldiers, indicating he meant those in the courtyard as much as the officers above it, "are free to reach for our destiny!"

"Even as we consolidate our control of Nitrix, already gears are set in motion to propel us to the forefront.  The lush jungle world Bolavor is our gateway to a new sector of space, rich with wealth and promise.  Already, my younger brother Zibble gathers our finest men to begin our conquest of this sector," he says, gesturing to the man on his right with his bushy black beard, "And my cousin Karth rallies new allies to our banner." he says, gesturing to his otherside where a handsome, if young, officer nods his head in acknowledgement."

"Remember this day, citizens of Nitrix, and mark it well.  All that comes to pass from this day forward, is in return for your loyalty and sufferage!"

--end feed--

Yay, I'm here!

Duke Lotran looked over the holo display his had prepared for them.  We were slow out of the gates this time.  Already we are at a disadvantage. he thought.  The Gurati are already tearing through space, and the Kadesh a looking for more converts.  Even the Nitrix seem to have caught word of this region before us.  We must act swiftly.

Prepare my jumpship, he said softly to his aide.  And my brother and sister as well.  We sail in one week's time.  We will start our conquest here, he indicated a corner of the holo display as yet untouched by the other houses.  Have three legions of house troops at the ready, and two units of our veterans from the Stigmus campaign called up.  Have an aresenal loaded onto my ship as well.  Go.

The aide left the room, and the Duke was alone with his thoughts.  You are getting old, he thought with a smile. Old and slow.  But you have learned something in these years.  The race is not only to the swift...

Worried by nightmares that Holy Eden may be sacked and pillaged by the tides of humanity's constant conflict, Countess Kadesh has politely invited all parties to respect the neutrality of the Edenic Bishop.

Sorry to trouble you Void- but some of your numbers on the maps don't match the PMs in orange. :) There's more units listed in orange at Mox and Yoravor, for instance, than you've written on the maps.  Thanks for seeing to this!

EDIT: actually, am I confused, but most of them are wrong?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:11, Fri 28 Mar 2008.

Yayayayayayay, for the first time my noble actions worked!  Thank you O generous dice roller!

The Nitrix value the word of the Technopope and the teachings of the The Church.  We would never invade holy Eden, or seek to control their edicts.  However, there are those amongst my people clamoring for the opportunity to see this sacred land, and there are diplomatic channels between Eden and ourselves to see if we can accommodate these people.

Also, congratulations on scoring a Noble Action.  One in six odds were never my favorite.

The Kadeshi public station does a weekend special on the growing prosperity of Nitrix and its role as a player in the future, gently avoiding paranoid commentary.    A series of hilarious cartoons depict the Baron Gurati as a giant who has stubbed his toe and is in the act of dropping his club on his other foot in order to grab his already wounded one.

Now here's an odd revelation I had.  There are units, like the Rimspace Pirates and Discordian Heretics, that have a Cost but are associated with no Planet.  Does this mean that such Units can be bought at the Homeworld if you have the proper Alliance?  Or is it there for Special Events that might be cooked up for a Scenario?  Or, perhaps, it was merely an oversight on the part of the designer.  I simply find myself overcome with curiosity on the subject.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:32, Fri 28 Mar 2008.

This is my understanding from playing so far, so Void may correct me (goodness knows I make many mistakes!)

You can buy allied units at your homeworld for the listed cost.  However, you only get TWO units per turn at your homeworld, allied or not.  You can ONLY buy units at the planets for which they are designed otherwise and that is ONE per turn.  Additionally, allied units purchased can be turned against you by intrigues, so the more of them you buy, the more vulnerable you are in a sense.

whoops. the oranged out numbers are right.

It's my fault - but we can consider it intelligence inaccuracies :)

that is correct :)