New Defensive game play with changes to the Base tax mechanics.

[Keppu]

Yeah there are many suggestion about the Base tax(BT). It's now the closest thing we have to the population and I tend to agree with some other that it should be more dynamic and controllable. Would also be nice to have a functional defensive oriented game play style, which would spawn from this. There are of course buildings to build, but they feel like a micro-flavor and not really impact the necessity to expand in order to survive in the game. Well, I for one like to develop and build my country above all else, what about my feelings?

Here are some suggestions:

• Lower the orginal BT of provinces to make room for manual improvements.

• Countries have "development projects" or some similar way to increase BT of a province with a sacrifice of AP's(proportional to the existing BT) and maybe ducats.
  When other countries project power outside, conquering and using their resources integrating new provinces, some countries could focus on using the time and resources to improve on the existing ones. Call it defensive game play or something.
  
  I know that you think it might be ahistorical and some provinces might blob out of the proportions. But let me argue, if a loving King would dedicate all his time and effort on breeding more people to his realm and rise his sons and grandsons to do the same, there would be some populous kingdoms out there. :wub:

• Occupying enemy province would give a chance to pillage it(like attacking natives) for minus BT.
  This would require using MP's(proportional to the provinces existing BT?), getting minus relation penalty with the country and gaining extra bad boy and some ducats. This would permanently drop the BT of the province and would be good counter for defensive game play.

• Each province have a BT cap, to simulate habitable land area(No millions of people in Venice or in a desert province).
  Some "development level"- meter would be the visible indicator of the BT cap and how far the province can be developed.

• Important trade center provinces increase BT over time.
  This would simulate the increasing flow of people and faster growth.

• Countries sharing same culture and/or culture group can have a diplomatic deal maintained by a diplomat to increase BT. Something in a lines of "Treaty of a free settling", that would occasionally make country get/lose BT + local autonomy to a random province. If people of your country would be to leave, an event could trigger with options 1. Let the people move(get minus BT) 2. Deny them(discontinue the treaty, get relationship penalty and a revolt chance). This would add nice flavor of a gamble that the diplomacy often was.

That's about it. Feel free to comment. I know my suggestions involve AP's and MP's, so they probably should involve DP's as well for the sake of balance. Any suggestions on that front?