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Agema Publications

A forum for the disscussion of the Play by Mail games from Agema Publications


    Succession

    The Revenant
    The Revenant
    Prince
    Prince


    Number of posts : 489
    Location : West Yorkshire
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    Registration date : 2008-08-03

    Succession Empty Succession

    Post by The Revenant Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:16 pm

    Not that "I'm" looking forward to dying, of course. But how does succession happen in this game, if the player keeps on playing but their character dies (or does that never happen?)? Presumably if you're in a nation that does family-succession and you have an heir that sorts itself. What if you're nation is one of those (many, it seems) with an Elective or appointed ruler? Do we get to design a whole new character, or do we get given one?
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    Succession Empty Re: Succession

    Post by Guest Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:20 pm

    This is a very good question, Jim.

    What I was never sure about is what happens if your own character dies or is imprisoned thereby making it hard to run your country. I considered this when I was at the start of the war with Austria. If somehow I was captured and executed by Leopold, would I remain as the player for France or be automatically removed? I never reached a definitive answer to the question, but made the assumption that I would remain as the player, but have a different character. If so, then as a player I prepared contingency plans to fight on even if I lost France.

    The point being if Leopold really thought that it was me as an individual who he needed to target to get peace, then war would never end the conflict: it had to be a negotiated settlement, and for there to be negotiation there had to be trust which was destroyed by Leopold breaking his treaty. So the only way to progress was to restore trust, not to cut off communication and fill the newspaper with propaganda.

    Normally this doesn't apply because the player drops out when he thinks he's lost, whereas France has such vast reserves (cash, army, navy) based in the colonies and a separate administration set up when I split the French Colonies off, that it is quite possible to simply move the base of operations abroad. We estimated the FCO on its own was probably the 10th most powerful position in the game overall. Add in the rest of the French navy plus whatever forces could escape an occupied France and the ability to continue the war for several years remains. The same would apply to Spain with its vast colonial Empire.

    The rules aren't clear other than saying loss of a ruling character normally leads to a large honour loss. The only position I've ever played when it happened to me was one where I was the chief minister rather than the ruler. The ruler died in battle and I think a new one appeared automatically without any action from me.

    In G7 France the succession became quite a hot issue for me after the death of the Duc d'Orleans in Russia. At that time I submitted a will, but that was more to keep France together if (as happened in history) the Dauphin died before I did. The last thing I wanted was a War of the French Succession on top of everything else!

    By 1703 France had a very simple succession: the Dauphin, then le petit Dauphin (Burgundy), Anjou, Berry. Added complications were:
    1. the French Colonial Office was active under the auspices of Burgundy, and I didn't think you could have 2 palyers playing one character!
    2. If Anjou married Maria Josepha Hapsburg (as originally intended), this would have meant him renouncing his right to rule France.

    So the only candidate left would have been the Duc de Berry who would have been my favourite in terms of historical character/ability anyway. To add a few more heirs the Dauphin married the Countess of Foix. Of course, what I don't know is how successful all this succession planning will be. But I think it is possible to guide the process a little with your game actions as I did.

      Current date/time is Fri Apr 26, 2024 6:58 pm