billy bob, not at all, I think it is great that this game is played by young and old alike.
Now onto the story. I will add a lot more game info than usual (last section + two pictures) to give you an idea of the MES 0.3.3.3b game.
Prester John? (1150-1170)
It was a dark evening in the land of the Naimans. The year was 1160. The Christian King, Varkysh, took a look at his wife. She was beautiful but most women in the Naiman tribe were known to be just that – beautiful. The Naiman women were dark beauties, small and slender with white healthy skin, white teeth and glittering, green eyes. It was quite common that the unattractive Mongols raided the Naimans and the Keriats, who also were Nestorian Christians, for bride finding purposes; these terrible warriors from the steppe only interested in hunting and war. At the thought of the Mongols king Varkysh shuddered.
Suddenly a guard entered the large tent where the king resided. He preferred a tent to the large wood palace where most Naiman kings used to live. “Sire there is this monk that wants to see you. He claims he is from the Great Roman Empire”.
Varkysh smiled. Oh yes he knew all about the Roman Empire, the persecution of Nestorians and their outrageous treatment of the great Nestorious, the founder of the Christian Nestorian Religion. He frowned but decided to see the monk. “Send him in”.
A small monk, called brother Rubruck appeared. He had oily skin and a clever look on his face. “Great King, thanks for taking your time” he said while trembling relentlessly because of the stern cold he had been exposed to outside the tent.
The King waved impatiently with his hands. “To the matter, to the matter”.
The Monk smiled amicably. “I bring a letter from the great Emperor. He wants to know more about the Eastern Christians. The Monk lowered his voice. “And about a man called Prester John”.
Varkysh looked up. “Prester John?, who the hell is Prester John?”.
The Monk continued with great patience. These men might be Christians but they were nonetheless steppe people. “He is a great King that will come to the aid of Christianity with a large army to help out against the Moslems” said the Monk while gladly accepting a cup filled with hot wine, spiced with honey and some strange spices he had never tasted before.
Varkysh laughed. “Well if that is the case I should have seen him around. We Nestorians could need his help too now that the Mongols are closing in on us all the time.
The Monk was taken back by this sarcastic comment. Was the man joking or was he a heathen after all. You couldn’t expect these rough men living in snow and cold to be much civilised after all. Prester John was of vital importance for Christianity and he simply had to be found. Suddenly he noticed a black cross-tattooed on the hand of Varkysh. The Monk hesitated. “But you are a Christian?”
Varkysh face turned red with anger. “Yes I am” he said sternly. My people come from a group of the Turkic tribe called 'Sakiz Oghuz' or the Eight Oghuz. We came here in 8th century and rooted our Christian brothers, the Keraits from their homeland driving them towards Manchuria where they still live. First we were Buddhist but then one day Jesus showed one of his personalities (the Nestorians believed Jesus had two personalities) here and helped a Naiman king that was lost in the mountains. The king then promised to convert and now we all have adopted Nestorian Christianity.
'”Why do you not have the Cross and the image of Jesus in your tent then?” the Monk replied:
Varkysh smiled. “That is not our custom, we don’t use images”.
The Monk frowned. Heretics. Yeah, he knew much of their peculiar ways not believing in Holy Mary and praying eight times a day. “Well judging by what I have been told you run a mighty empire here” said the Monk still firmly believing he had found Prester John even though John obviously needed some preaching to become respectable. He licked his lips. Bringing news of a Christian kingdom in the east to the Roman Emperor would earn him a lot of gold not to mention the fact that he would go down in history as the man who found Prester John. “You could attack the Moslems in the rear, couldn’t you” he shouted in exaltation.
Varkysh sighed. The Monk evidently didn’t know much about military matters. “You don’t know much about the situation here, that’s obvious. Sure we are quite powerful if you compare with neighbours like the pagan Kyrgiz or the pagan Oirats. However there is a great threat to the east. A threat that might bring our downfall and the demise of your civilization too!”
The Monk almost laughed, what kind of threat could you find here in the desolated steppes among shepherds and low life? “And what threat is that?” he said with a smile on his face.
“The Mongol tribe, the Mongols” said Varkysh with terror in his voice. “They are already threatening out brothers, the Christian Nestorians Keraits in the east and they are dedicated. Soon they will be stronger than your emperor too if they keep at it. You know we Naimans see Mongols as poor, smelly and fierce while they think we are untrustworthy, lazy, and unwarlike. We are different but nonetheless they are warriors and we are not”.
The Monk sneered. “You think some horsemen could threaten the great Roman Emperor and the Roman army?” He covered a laugh in a cough attack. These wild men sure hadn’t seen much of the world.
The King didn’t answer, he just smiled at the - in his opinion - ignorant monk.
The Monk felt that he had to say something to loosen up the dense atmosphere. “If you say so. I guess I will stay on for a while, taking notes and learn more of your civilisation sire”.
“By all means, do so. I have information that the Mongols have begun their usual ravage campaigns and I have to prepare my people. You might learn something from that. However forget about any campaigns to relief Christianity. We will have to defend our common God and his churches right here. My army is first-class but it will not measure up to that of the Mongols”.
When the Monk stepped out from the tent the harsh cold wind outside swept through his clothes and battered his skin. The King had “entertained him” with stories of the Mongols and their behaviour. He shivered at the sheer thought of meeting with these monsters to men. On the bright side he had found some Christians in this desolated area at least. That was a very encouraging discovery indeed, even if they were heretics. Jesus having two personalities? Rubbish. No wonder that the Patriarch had exiled the madman Nestorious into the desert. Well probably such fairytales had been helpful while converting these primitive tribes. You can´t be fussy up here he thought . At least they believe in God and Jesus, that’s always something.
The King sat by his fire alone. Could the Roman Empire help him? The Monk had told him of Manzikert and the battles in the Holy land. Didn’t seem likely that the Roman army could help the Naimans. Ah the holy land. To see that land before he died, what a blessing it would have been. Now he had other priorities. His scouts were bringing him ominous reports all the time of Mongol victories in the east. He went back to the bed where his beautiful wife was sound asleep. He would protect his people and God´s churches. Of that he was sure.
***************
GAME INFO
Naimans start out with four provinces, around 12 gold income per province. All provinces are Christian (Nestorian). Turkoman culture in all provinces too. No fortresses and no tax collectors. A treasury with 100 gold is available. Most neighbours are modestly or extremely hostile except for the Keraits (Christian too). No CB shields outside your own territory.
A MAP
Naimans
the Naimans
Sliders
Aristocracy 3
Centralization 2
Innovativeness 3
Mercantilism 3
Offensive 8
Land 9
Quality 7
Serfdom 0
(pretty good war-machine, in fact stronger than the Mongols but low manpower)
Political map
A map and some info on the Christian neighbours - the Keraits
The blue country to the west is Altai (pagan), the land to the North (grey) is Kyrgiz (pagan), the land to the east are the Oirats (pagan) and the dark blue country beside the Oirats are Keirats (only friendly guys around sharing the same faith). The green area beside the Oirats are the Buriats (dark green). The yellow area are the Merkits and the white the Tayici´uts. The field coloured purple are the Mongols and the green next to that are the Tatars.
Below the Mountains you see the Uighurs (red) and the Xi-Xia (orange).
Important events 1150-1170
1150-1160
*The Tatars crushed the Lamuts (far east not on map).
*The Tayici´uts smashed the Buriats, took one province.
*The Oirats took a province from the Kyrgiz and made them vassals.
*The Keirats lost a war against the Oirats, lost one province (wasn’t able to help my Christian brothers since all my money was invested in tax collectors to get census tax).
* Corrupt chancellor event, -75 gold and + 4 % inflation (sigh).
* A total income of 72 gold, expenses 2. gold. Census tax finally at 20 gold after appointing tax collectors.
* Mongols annexed the Tatars.
*Merkits annexed Buriats (the Merkit heathens are becoming quite powerful)
* Mongols in war with Jin Empire, gained one province and 234 gold.
1160-1170
*The Merkits in trouble,attacked by Mongols, Oirats and Tayici´uts at the same time. Annexed by Mongols in 1163.
* 1163, the Uighurs smashed by the Mongols (red field on the map over the white mountains).
*Oirats and Tayici´uts threaten the Naimans, massive Naiman military build up to prevent an attack. 12 000 horsemen stationed in the mountain border province Touva with a lake between the land of the Oirats (eh nice one Amric?).
* The Mongols trash the Oirat and Tayici´ut alliance in 1165 (a stalemate had been better). Tayici´uts down to one province, Oirats no losses of territory (yet).
* Slider change to 9 offensive, giving + 1 in shock (will need that)
* New alliance, Mongols, Oirats and Uighurs (argh, it was bad enough as it was before).
* Inancha Bilgei new king in 1167.
* Mongols at war with Jin Empire in 1167 again, Qara Khitai join Mongol alliance too while Xi-Xia join Jin Empire. Mongol Empire takes 3 provinces from Jin and 212 gold.
Strategy comment
My strategy is to build up my economy (tax collectors in all provinces) and build forts in all provinces. By keeping a large army in Touva my aim is to scare away potential aggressors (this works for now). It cost a lot of money to maintain the army but it is worth it. The army is very strong since I have 0 serfdom (morale bonus), land 9, quality 7 and offensive 9. Add to that a mountain province (Touva) as border to the east with a river along the border too and you might understand why the Oirats haven’t tried anything yet.