Interest in a new Imperium Offtopicum Game?

[bugwar]

Can players move units across a corner? Such as the one that exists at the intersection of the NJ/PA/north-west NY area?

Will there be names for the provinces? So that when writing a missive I can refer to a name and not have to describe it in relation to other unnamed provinces?

[madtemplar0]

Yes; if they are touching, they are touching. tips are still a connection.

1. What are the major plot differences (if any) between the novels and the game?

2. What is the back-story we base our tales on? How long after the collapse of technology does the game start?

3. In game time, how long does each turn last? A week, a month, ten years?

1. I'm trying to stick to the truth of the novel, but of course the new nations shall be different, and much larger than the several-square-mile regions of the book. Magic shall not be as important, as divine favor would of course be unfair. Technology is still broken, with combustion reactions failing to produce anything beyond a bonfire. Gunpowder and gasoline burn like firewood. As for anything else, his ties into question two:

2. This is a tad later than the novel's beginning, so around six months after the event. The famine has already killed the majority of the population, and the chaos is just beginning to settle. The exodus of people to the countryside, besides the inner-city kingdoms, is just starting. On that note: as in the novel, there are two main types of nations I would like to see: City-based, criminal/gangster/dictator run, feudal societies with slaves, lawlessness and a general system of strength of arms. These are more military, scavenger based. Then there are the rural settlements, villages and farms, with a more democratic system and a greater focus on preserving pre-event morals. However, I am perfectly fine with anything in-between, or a creation of your own.

3. Good question. Theoretically, there would be enough time each turn for your soldiers to walk clear across the continent, so to round it off, lets say... 6 months a turn.

[bugwar]

Thank you for your earlier responses. They help.

Now for the new material.

“...which negates defender morale bonuses...”

WTF?

Where does that come into the combat calculations?
What are the other unmentioned combat modifiers?

[bugwar]

This is a tad later than the novel's beginning, so around six months after the event. The famine has already killed the majority of the population, and the chaos is just beginning to settle. The exodus of people to the countryside, besides the inner-city kingdoms, is just starting.

OK. I think six months is a bit early to complete the die-off, but what the heck. At least now, I have a basis to extrapolate from.

Technology is still broken, with combustion reactions failing to produce anything beyond a bonfire. Gunpowder and gasoline burn like firewood. As for anything else, his ties into question ...

Excellent!

That implies that early to late nineteenth century technology works, allowing a highly industrialized culture to flourish.

So I am looking at a 21st century educated populace with Victorian era technological capabilities, minus the guns, electricity and class warfare.
I can work with that.

Sounds like shades of ‘1634’, with the entire U.S.A. population transported back in time. This go around though, there are no ignorant natives to educate/convert.

[madtemplar0]

OK. I think six months is a bit early to complete the die-off, but what the heck. At least now, I have a basis to extrapolate from.

Excellent!

That implies that early to late nineteenth century technology works, allowing a highly industrialized culture to flourish.

So I am looking at a 21st century educated populace with Victorian era technological capabilities, minus the guns, electricity and class warfare.
I can work with that.

Sounds like shades of ‘1634’, with the entire U.S.A. population transported back in time. This go around though, there are no ignorant natives to educate/convert.

As for the morale bonuses: since each unit has a die rolled for its morale, negating that means... it is provided neither positive nor negative affects from that; they rolled essentially a 0.

Six months, well...the original story is only four months after, and it accommodated that fact. So I think six is fine. Why isn't that enough time for people to starve? In less developed regions, the loss of power led to infighting over resources, killing many; in more developed places, the lack of modern farming equipment and transport, combined with dense populations, left many more dead. The chaos of the loss of all communications would be more than enough to allow for the destruction of foodstuffs and society in general.

Oh, that's another thing- electricity may as well have ceased to exist, for all practical purposes.

And, it's not exactly the entire US population... the rural areas are largely unaffected, although many crops are left rotting and farmers are restricted to the ten or so miles around their homes; the Amish are fine; as for most of society, the vast majority are dead; perhaps a billion people are alive right now, and more are dying every day from the chaos and lingering starvation. Inner-city dictators control all food supplies, while stripping families of their supplies and enslaving them to build down-town fortresses. Their armies fight over dwindling food supplies, land, and slaves, and shall eventually have to look elsewhere for food...(hint hint).

The rural communities are being overrun by the sudden influx of refugees, and farmers are changing their crops to be better able to be lived off of, as compared to a cash crop. Many people are turning to thievery and such due to the lack of work and food in those areas, and live in bands in the forests. Those farming communities who have managed to adjust typically try to accommodate the new, 'stupid' refugees, giving them simple tasks on the farms to make up for the lack of equipment; it is similar to California during The Grapes of Wrath, with less tech and order and food.

[bugwar]

Thought this might be useful to the players. Change as you wish.

[madtemplar0]

looks great to me, better than anything I would do. Anyone can feel free to change the name of their starting province, though. That is fair IMHO.

[bugwar]

Yea, what he said.

[bugwar]

Based on madtemplar0's responses, I have revised the information on Suwannee posted earlier. If there is another place it should go, please let me know.

[bugwar]

My understanding of the flow of the game follows. Please let me know of my misunderstandings.
Please note that bold type indicates new material.

1. Players submit instructions.

2. Economy

2. a. Income from provinces. Capitals produce 2 IP, other provinces produce 1 IP.
2. b. Purchases

2. b.i. Units

2.b.i.a. Infantry cost 2IP.
2.b.i.b. Cavalry cost 4IP.
2.b.i.c. Gliders cost 5IP.

2.b.ii. Tech
2.b.iii. Other

2.c. New unit deployment

3. Movement
Units have unlimited range within controlled territories. The presence of an enemy unit in a friendly province does NOT stop the movement of friendly units through the province.

4. Combat
In each province with units from opposing sides:

4.a. Deleted.
4.b. For each side, a morale die roll to modify the combat die roll
4.c. Pair off opponents. Unpaired units are reserved for later use.
4.d. Roll a die for each opponent in a pair. Add the modifiers to the result, and remove the unit with the adjusted lower total.
4.e. If there are still opposing units, the side with fewer units’ pair off with the reserve units. If there are no remaining reserve units, combat ends for the province, else return to step 4.d.

4.f. In the case of three or more mutual enemies in a province, it depends upon who ordered what attack. If the two ordered an attack on one, then the two attackers would not battle and if the defender is destroyed, the attacker with the larger army takes it. If A attacks B, B attacks C and C attacks A, then... how about each battle is calculated as if each army were at full strength, then the combined results from each battle are dealt to each combatant- makes sense, considering the massive chaos of the battle.

[madtemplar0]

As for the movement one, all movements are calculated before any battles, so each would move before any battles take place. It is not as if a phone call can be made to recall the troops. So A would get Nashville, B would get Roanoke. This is why it is not suggested to leave border territories defenseless; there are bandits and as mentioned worse waiting on the edges. And the fact that A would move through Roanoke does not matter; for all we know it moved back between Erie and Roanoke a billion times before entering Nashville. Remember, unlimited movement within territory until confrontation- ie any soldier can be deployed into any territory adjacent to his nation.

In ties, the attacking unit is destroyed- the defenders only have to hold, not overcome their enemies.

If both sides still have troops after a battle, then land is not exchanged and the attacking army returns to the adjacent friendly square from which it attacked.

In the case of three or more mutual enemies in a province...it depends upon who ordered what attack. if the two ordered an attack on one, then the two attackers would not battle and if the defender is destroyed the attacker with the larger army takes it. If A attacks B, B attacks C and C attacks A, then.. how about each battle is calculated as if each army were at full strength, then the combined results from each battle are dealt to each combatant- makes sense, considering the massive chaos of the battle.

[stamasd]

I agree with the set of rules as posted so far.

Region naming: I would like to have "Tucson" renamed to "Llanos", and the following spot reserved for my startup, República de los Llanos:



Leader: Hualulitepec

National bonus: Animal Whisperer.

Details to follow.
Will always be in-character from now on.

[bugwar]

National map province renamed.

Welcome to the struggle!

[bugwar]

OK, what exactly goes into the new thread? Orders, comments, questions?
Is the game started and the clock running?

I tried to send a PM to madtemplar0, but the system said there was no room for any more messages.

[Dyranum]

That triple-post-rule-post left some things rather confusing and unclear (for example, where do we state orders? What do we include in orders? yaddayadda? Also, is it really that necessary to reveal all calculations for combat?). Furthermore, I do not know if I have the time to do complex IC posts or not.

In any case, if I am able, then I would like to pick the "Yellowstone" province as my starting province. Also, please rename it to Wyoming.

[bugwar]

That triple-post-rule-post left some things rather confusing and unclear (for example, where do we state orders? What do we include in orders? yaddayadda? Also, is it really that necessary to reveal all calculations for combat?). Furthermore, I do not know if I have the time to do complex IC posts or not.

In any case, if I am able, then I would like to pick the "Yellowstone" province as my starting province. Also, please rename it to Wyoming.

I am not sure I will be doing much in the way of 'In character' either. My current plan is to write a short rationale for my region, then the upcoming orders. If I have time I will flesh out the orders with some narrative, but I won't lose any sleep over a failure to do so. As an example, this is what I have so far:

Turn zero: March to September

Prelude: Organize for Survival

The Florida Governor activated National Guard units, requested Federal assistance from the local active military units in maintaining order and aiding in disaster recovery.

Federal units coordinating with the state governor in turn issue a number of decrees; chief among them being martial law implementation, suspension of habeas corpus, limits on assembly.

The state house issues a directive freezing prices, rationing foodstuffs, medicines and other critical resources.
Research begins at University centers on substitute power sources, lighting systems, and communications.

By the second week of the Change, researchers demonstrate a Sterling engine as an alternate power source; along with water gas lighting. Work continues on fluidic alternatives for digital computing.

April - Public unveiling of the conversion of a five-ton cargo truck from using internal combustion to the Sterling. It ain’t pretty, it is way more trouble to use and maintain than before, and it works. Success covers up a multitude of sins.
Prototype machine shops electric motors are replaced with Sterling equivalents.
Demonstration in the Tallahassee courthouse area using gas street lamps to ‘take back the night’.

May to September - priority drive to build Sterling replacements for defunct electric motors in fertilizer production sites, automotive engines (emphasis on agricultural machines and cargo trucks), locomotives and general industry.

Construction begins on water-gas production facilities and laying fuel lines for lighting industrial sites in various locations about the region.

All activities suffer considerable implementation delays from the chaos surrounding the Change.



Turn one. October to February

Spend two IP to create a foot unit in Suwannee

Declare war on Atlanta, South Carolina, and South Florida.
Send one foot unit to each of those provinces.

[madtemplar0]

Alright, I'm sorry for the confusion. I had to run halfway through setting up the official thread. The purpose of this thread was to see if there was any interest in a new IO game. Now that the "official" game is up, this thread should only be used to ask questions about the game. The game does not officially start until a week from today, May 25. Anyone interested in joining the game should post in the new thread; The three of you who already joined should make a post along the lines of my example, you could also look at old IO games. Dyranum, you should, along with anyone else looking to play, post in the new thread. There you can state your region of origin, nation's name, etc.

As to the orders, for Dyranum's question- Each turn, the player is allowed one post titles ORDERS. it is what is last edited into this post that I shall take as your orders for the turn. Any other posts each turn shall be considered OOC conversation or IC posts. We are currently in turn 0; please do not state your orders yet only mention your new nation's location and national bonus, as well as name and whatever else you feel is needed to set its groundwork.

To bugwar and stamasd and Dyranum; it would be appreciated if you would make a similar "entry" post in the new "official" thread. I will post an example one for your benefit. Remember, no orders until turn 1 after a week when we have all players joined.

I will clear my box; I did not think it was full.

I see I did not completely answer what orders are-- orders are unit creation, unit movement, declarations of war, and offers of diplomacy between nations.

bugwar- you do not have to declare war on untaken zones; simply order troops there. But remember, we are not starting until the "turn 0" phase is over.

[bugwar]

If I understand correctly, if player 'A' and player 'B' both send forces to the same untaken zone, and each player has not declared war on the other, nothing happens, since they are not at war with each other?

[madtemplar0]

If I understand correctly, if player 'A' and player 'B' both send forces to the same untaken zone, and each player has not declared war on the other, nothing happens, since they are not at war with each other?

Yes, and the player with a greater force would gain command of the region, with the other force having a grace period until they could move. The larger force could bully the other one away. However, this is a very unlikely situation.

It is possible to PM movements and unit creation, if one wishes them to be kept secret. I shall mention this in the official post; it is a key aspect I forgot to mention. My sincere apologies. But despite this ability, most people say their orders openly, and have their troop locations open; at least, this is the case in the last game, where action tended to be open. As such, orders into untaken territory are likely to be worked out by the players before the turn is completed, getting rid of crossovers; it is disadvantageous otherwise. Except in the case of garrisons and open war, I do not expect orders to be concealed for long. It is a practicality; persons with sealed orders have to track their own movements, as I shall not be placing them on the map. Laziness tends to rule.

[bugwar]

Are players allowed to transfer IP's between themselves?

As an example, say I was in a war with another player, and wanted some help in defending my lands.
Could I offer a bribe to a player to join with me in the war?