• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

ThunderHawk3

Field Marshal
3 Badges
Aug 4, 2011
3.272
75
  • Crusader Kings II
  • Victoria 2
  • 500k Club
350px-Republique-allegorie.jpg

Hi! Welcome (or welcome back) to Enemy of the State. Enemy of the State is a innovative mixture of suspicion/psychological games like Secret Hitler and nation games, like I've frequently run in the past. This game we'll be playing as the fraying Spanish Second Republic in what was historically its final year.

The way the game runs is simple: you're all playing as prominent politicians or other influential citizens of Spain in the year 1936. You will elect a President by ballot. He will submit orders. You will either vote to accept or reject his orders. Then the cycle repeats itself.

However, there are traitors in your midst. One of you is the evil Nemesis, who wants nothing better than to destroy Spain. The Nemesis can submit orders of his own - orders that will work against Spain's interests! He is joined by conspirators (or is he?) - who will join him in his evil business. Additionally, Spain's military forms a powerful faction, as does the Catholic church. They're generally on your side... probably...

The Government

The government can submit any orders it likes! The President of the Republic proposes orders, which you (the players) either vote to accept or reject. If the President's agenda is accepted, it comes into effect. Some factions have veto power. While the Nemesis is bounded in what orders he can issue, you're not. However, it is limited to a certain number of orders. Also, the government can only have a limited number of policies in effect at any particular time - only policies effect the stats turn after turn.

This game is fairly stat-driven, but please don't send me orders like, "increase state power" or "decrease crime." Orders should be actionable.

The Stats

Stats in EotS aren't just for show. If certain critical stats reach 0 you lose, and non-critical stats have a lot of effects on the Nemesis' play. Generally, the Nemesis' cards (orders and disasters) will be locked into fixed formulas, as will government policies. However, the stats aren't the be-all, end-all, I will change them if circumstances warrant. Your orders will have logical effects.

The Powerful Faction:

Spain's powerful factions are the military and the church. Some players may sign up for these factions. They can each submit one order a turn, which are not subject to a vote. They also wield veto power in certain areas.

Player Roster:
Sithlent (M)
Terraferma (M)
Kho (L - leader)
KF25 (M)
Dish of fish (C - leader)
Brettles (L)
barkardes
Cleeque (M - leader)
chopak (C)
DragonOfAtlantis
Dexander
Dedonus (C)
sealy300 (M)
Gen. Marshall (D - leader)
Andre Massena (C)
Tristen91
Korona (L)

Our IRC channel is #EotS_Main on Coldfront.

To sign up, just let me know that you're in and if you want to join a faction (and if so, which one?).

IE:

In! I'd like to join the military faction.
 
Last edited:
(Reserved for table of contents)
 
Basic Rules

Special addendum: If the Nemesis drops, or if I accidentally let his name slip, a new Nemesis will be chosen immediately. It can theoretically be the same person twice in a row or anyone else.

All players will elect leaders to lead the government. The elected leader will remain in power for a number of turns (years) for his term of office. Every turn, he will get to submit a certain number of orders. They can be anything he wishes, though some may be subject to veto by the powerful faction, or by the Nemesis. After the government issues his orders. They are voted on by the players. Then, the Nemesis will then issue his evil orders. The government can choose to keep the contents of their orders public or private.

I will then evaluate all orders and the next turn will begin.

One turn is one year for RP purposes.

To begin with, the government can issue 2 orders/turn and has 3 policy slots. This is not very many, as will become apparent later. It can issue orders to expand the bureaucracy to increase either or both numbers if State Power (an important stat) is high enough.

Government orders that have recurring effect are called "policies" in EotS-speak. The government can only have a certain number of policies in play at once. Scrapping or modifying a policy requires an order. I will fix the effect of a policy when it comes into play. (IE: Suppose a government decides to institute an income tax. I may decide this has the effect of decreasing debt by State Power/10 every turn. I will say this explicitly, and the Income Tax policy will have this effect every turn until modified or scrapped.) I may alter effects if circumstances warrant.

Anything that the government wants to have a recurring effect is a policy. Otherwise, it will only have an up-front effect. Once the government is out of policy slots, you can't play more until you scrap a policy to free a policy slot.

If State Power is equal to or greater than 10 times the current number of policy slots+1, the government can order the number permanently increased. This will also increase debt. If State Power is equal to or greater than 15 times the current number of orders+1, the government can do the same.

(This means the max number of policy slots is 10 and the max number of orders/turn is 6.)

Beware, the Nemesis can occupy policy slots with useless policies that are hard to remove, or even permanently decrease the number of policy slots or orders the government has! However, the government will always have at least one order and one policy slot.

Finances and stat changes are generally simple in EotS. Only orders, policies (or in the Nemesis' case, disasters), change stats. I will occasionally throw out an event. Nothing else changes stats. There is, for example, no automatic debt service.

If I say a policy costs X, that policy will increase debt by X/national wealth, then rounded up. IE: If you have a policy of cost 100, and national wealth is 21, that policy will increase debt by 5. Costs can go well over 100. I will usually warn the government if an order would bankrupt the nation.

Orders will be classified (by the GM, after they are sent) into five categories: Political, Social, Economic, Military, and Diplomatic. The government isn't restricted in any way as to which categories of orders it's allowed to issue in the beginning. However, the Nemesis may block or prevent the government from playing orders in certain categories, at least temporarily, as time goes on. Heavy-handed government policies, like authoritarian government, may also block the Nemesis from playing cards and disasters in certain categories.

Orders can belong to more than one category. From the government's perspective, classification or orders into categories is usually purely bureaucratic and doesn't matter much. It matters more to the Nemesis.

Players who are purged or assassinated cannot run for leader at the next election, and their vote only counts for half at the same.

Stats

Stats are divided into the five categories: Political, Social, Economic, Military, and Diplomatic. There are three or four stats in each. Some are good (ie: high is good), some are bad, and some can be good or bad. They're all ranked 0-100 on arbitrary scales.

Five stats, one from each category, will cause the government to lose the game if they reach 0 or 100. These are the "critical" stats. The rest are "secondary." They're all important.

Political

-Approval (government loses if 0)
-Corruption
-State Power

Social

-Health
-Education
-Inequality
-Crime (government loses if 100)

Economic

-National Wealth
-Debt (government loses if 100)
-Unemployment
-Inflation

Military

-Quality
-Quantity
-Military Loyalty (government loses if 0)

Diplomatic

-International Hostility (may keep track of separate West/Comintern hostility)
-Trade Relations
-Foreign Influence (government loses if 100)

The Nemesis and The Conspiracy

The Nemesis will be randomly chosen from among all players, and he may also have several accomplices chosen by the same method. His sole task is to try to make the government lose. His identity is secret. The Nemesis knows the identity of his accomplices, but they don't know his identity, or each other's identities. It's probably a good move for the Nemesis to introduce himself to his accomplices.

Like the government's leader, the Nemesis submits orders every turn (after the government). However, unlike the government, he can't submit whatever orders he pleases. Instead, he has five decks of cards in each of the policy categories. Each deck contains about 20 cards. Many of them are quite powerful - he can start wars, economic and political crises, and even destroy the government... if he plays his cards right.

The government will be told what the Nemesis played, but not what he drew.

The Nemesis gets a certain number of draws, orders, and disasters, and a maximum hand size. His draws are how many cards he can draw each turn if he so chooses. The Nemesis can choose not to draw. (If he would draw above his hand size, he must discard first!) He gets to choose which decks to draw from. He can draw from the same deck for up to half his total draws (rounded up, so if he has 5 draws, he can draw 3 from say, the Political deck). He draws at the start of every turn.

Orders are how many orders he can issue. Disasters are evil policies - cards that have recurring negative effects for the government. Typically, the government will have to meet certain requirements or take other logical action to remove them from play. The Nemesis may also scrap them to make way for other disasters.

Regular cards that have been played or discarded are shuffled back into their decks at the end of each turn.

Each deck also contains one unique disaster. This card may only be played once, and is removed from the game after being played.

Hint: The Nemesis' most powerful card is a special unique disaster that does not start in any deck. It can be brought into play only by combined action of the Nemesis and the government. Why would the government ever take such action? Well, you'll find out...

To make things interesting, neither the government nor the Nemesis are informed of what cards are in the Nemesis' deck. Both will have to learn as the game goes along.

If the Nemesis is purged, assassinated, etc., he will not be able to choose his cards and will instead topdeck for the next turn.

Once per game, the Nemesis' accomplices may exercise a one-time ability to add a card to the Nemesis' hand. They lose this ability if they are ever purged, assassinated, etc., but regain it if they are elected to the leadership.

The Nemesis wins the game if he becomes Dictator-for-Life by any means or causes the government to lose.

The Powerful Faction

Optionally, there may be a powerful faction, whose members are unchanging and chosen at the start of the game. The powerful faction represents a group with undue influence over the government. Each has veto power over one area of policy. The leader of the powerful faction can issue one order a turn.

It can be one and only one of the following:

The Dynasty:
A particular family or dynasty has a prominent place in politics.

Leader knows all political orders/policies played by the government and can veto Political orders/policies (except assassinations or purges, but including constitutional changes). Random line of succession to the leadership fixed at the beginning of the game. Leaders are the heads of the dynasty and can only be removed by either retirement or death/purge.

Leader can purge other members of the Family by order, one per order (disqualifying them from the line of succession until his death), but cannot otherwise change the line of succession. They can be rehabilitated, one per order, at a later time.

The Church:
The Holy Mother Church holds tremendous sway over the people.

Leader knows all social orders played by the government and can veto social orders. Leader chosen by Synod (vote of the powerful faction's members), but can only be removed by either retirement or purge/death.

Leader can expel (excommunicate) other members of the Church by order, one per order. Excommunications are lifted on the death of the Leader, but excommunicated players can't vote for his successor.

The Business:
Corporations and businessmen have managed to wrangle vast power in our society.

Leader knows all economic orders/policies played by the government and can veto the same. Leader chosen by vote for a term fixed by the faction and can be sacked by no confidence vote of the faction at any time.

The Military:
The army has a tremendous historical role in our politics.

Leader knows all military orders/policies played by the government and can veto the same (except his own sacking) as the RP head of the nation's armed forces. If he dies or resigns, the government may choose his successor by order. He can also be sacked by order of the government. If he is sacked, the faction members will vote to either support or oppose his sacking. Military loyalty will be decreased in proportion to the number of military faction members who voted to oppose the sacking.

If the government does not choose a military leader whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, a random faction member will automatically be chosen at end of turn.

The Foreigners:
Due to geopolitics, a particular foreign power - probably a superpower - has gained immense sway over our diplomatic policy. Why, we're practically a satellite state over here!

Leader knows all diplomatic orders played by the government and can veto the same. Is a foreign ambassador or consul for RP purposes. Can be sacked by vote of the faction at any time.

The government may choose to expel the Leader, forcing the faction to pick a new one, or expel the embassy entirely, negating the faction's abilities. Both actions will raise Foreign Hostility and may have other effects.

Constitutional Issues

Okay, so here's the deal. I've had enough of Constitutional conventions for one lifetime (EoE, PttP, etc...), so here's how we're treating the Constitution. You can change the constitution when the government attempts to do so. It proposes an amendment/a new constitution, which all at the same time changes one or more of these issues:

Title of Leader: (President/Prime Minister/Grand Czar/whatever)
Name of Nation: (Republic/State/Kingdom/Anarchy/whatever)

Election Process: (First Past the Post/Top 2 runoff/ranked choice/instant runoff/whatever/none)
Ballots: (secret/public)

Leader Term: (any # of years up to 10/for life)
Term Limit: (any # of terms or years/no limit)
Removal Process Mid-Term: (specify necessary majority/none)
If Leader Dies/Is Removed: (Vice-Leader accedes/special election is held)
Vice-Leader Is Chosen By: (No Vice-Leader/Appointed by Leader/Elected/other)

Necessary Majority to Amend Constitution: (specify majority/impossible)

Opposition Parties Allowed: (yes/no) - if no, the President can disqualify opposition candidates, one player per order
Can Purge/Kill Players: (yes/no) - if yes, the government can purge one player per order
Government Must Reveal Orders: (yes/no)


The players vote on the government's proposed amendment. If they attain the necessary majority of ayes over nays (modified by assassinations and purges), the constitution is so amended.

The government can only call one such vote per turn, but can propose an amendment that changes several of these at once.

Win/Lose Conditions

If 50 turns pass without the government losing, they win.

The powerful faction will have its own specific win condition. It usually requires 50 turns to pass without the government losing as well.

The Nemesis and his accomplices' goal is to cause the government to lose the game.

If Approval reaches 0, there is a revolution. The government loses.

If Crime reaches 100, society descends into lawless anarchy. The government loses.

If Debt reaches 100, the nation goes bankrupt. The government loses.

If Military Loyalty reaches 0, there is a military coup. The government loses.

If Foreign Influence reaches 100, foreign powers take over your country. The government loses.

If the Nemesis becomes dictator-for-life, he wins and the government loses.

Bonus: TH3's Dubious Guide to RPing About Stats

Here are RP meanings of stats for use in in-character discussions.

Political

-Approval = % Approval rating
-Corruption = % of people who have had to pay a bribe in the past year
-State Power -> No RP analogy, just the general size of the government, maybe % of people who meaningfully interact with the government every day.

Social

-Health -> Life Expectancy = Health score * .5 + 30, give or take about 5 years.
-Education -> # of average years of education = Education score/5
-Inequality = GINI coefficient*100
-Crime -> % of people who are victims of serious crimes each year, let's say, though this is insanely high by any standard

Economic

-National Wealth -> GDP/capita = $250*wealth score in 2016 dollars, or thereabouts
-Debt = % of GDP debt
-Unemployment = % of workforce unemployed+underemployed
-Inflation= % inflation, I guess... (will produce insanely high inflations)

Military

-Quality -> No analogy. How good they are.
-Quantity = % of total available manpower for military service currently under arms. (.1-.2% of population per quantity score, probably)
-Military Loyalty -> % of soldiers who approve of the government

Diplomatic

-International Hostility -> no analogy
-Trade Relations = % of GDP that is trade, maybe
-Foreign Influence -> no analogy

Our IRC channel on Coldfront is #EoTS_Main.
 
And as a reminder, sign-ups are now open. I'll keep them open for 4 days, then choose a Nemesis, his conspirators, and other roles.

If you want in, tell me "In" and whether you want to be in a faction.

Ex:

In! I'd like to be in the military faction.

PS: Thinking about adding The Dynasty as a faction, to represent the Spanish royal family, although they were historically powerless in both the Republican and Francoist eras.
 
IN, member of the military faction please
 
In, wherever you want me
 
In, pick a faction for me please.
 
Last edited:
In. I would like to be in the church faction.
 
We're halfway through initial sign-ups. They'll last another 2 days, until about this time on Wednesday.

13 people have signed up so far. I think about half will end up in factions, while half won't.
 
cnt.jpg


In as Maria de la Fuego y Bonista, proud F.A.I/C.N.T [Read: Anarchist] member and union organiser of the gods!