Ciao Italia

All,

I just started playing and have taken command of the great empire of Italia I'm completely new to the game so would appreciate if someone could catch me up on what Italia has been up to and would also welcome any other beginner tips to help me avoid complete ruination for at least a couple of turns.

Thank you!

Prunesquallor wrote:All,

I just started playing and have taken command of the great empire of Italia I'm completely new to the game so would appreciate if someone could catch me up on what Italia has been up to and would also welcome any other beginner tips to help me avoid complete ruination for at least a couple of turns.

Thank you!

Can not say what the prior Government(s) of Italia have been doing behind out of sight of everyone else (probably about 90% of stuff) but in public reported in the paper stuff I think its fair to say the Italia has been:

- Friend and ally of Sima and the Emperor Napoleon III - Its possible that the Kingdom of Sima (generally viewed as a front for the Triads) came out of this deal rather better than Italia since at one stage it got control of Marina from Italia and while a lot of Italia troops were helping the Sima actions China (still their?) I see a lot of territory in China marked "Sima" and nothing marked "Italia". You may want to investigate this deal and what went wrong........suspect loss of players stalled the invasion of China made real progress and if Italia is still holding any grudges against Chin or its former (?) ally owes it any debts/pledges.

Italia other major ally the Emperor Napoleon III of France was widly viewed as so nuts that he made the leadership of Germania look sane and rational. And after a change of player the Empire was overthrown and the Republic declared. The Prince Imperial fled into exile and various powers got worried about the danger of "revolution" spreading from France but Italia did not seem that bothered about its former very close ally getting filled full of lead by the Reds and other rabid Republicans who no doubt want to do the same in Italy and abolish the Catholic Church etc. Of course Italia may actually be very concerned and working really hard to retore the Monarchy (just trying to avoid a direct clash with the French Army it will probably come 2nd best in)

- Italia seems to have had neatral relations with the British (formerly too friendly with Austria and anti French), Nippon, Americans (all a long way away) & Russia (Italian Government bright enough to see trouble).

- Italia seems to have generally had hostile relations with Osterreich and Germania. Italia & Osterreich were rivals in Afrika and also in the race for the sky (Air Ship development). Some view the development of Italian Airships.....Red with the sybol of the prancing horse as the ultimate sybol of Italian Engineering genius and Italian Macho status.......others view airships as a really good way to get characters killed and waste money.

Major gripe with Germania over different views of France and over Massawa which Italia took over to save it from the advance of the Sudanese Hordes. Only to be then thrown out by a revolt lead by a German Bishop backed by the German Army.

Hope the above is of some use but what I would say is that Italia has to date when a fairly flexible power and you would not seem to have inherited any set in stone feuds with people working on basis that the only good Italian is a dead Italian type of thing.

Very roughly unless you want to go off on a totally new path like the currently very popular America's or Indea (covered in big signs marked Keep Out.......my order of Lord Derby) and want to just develop what went before:

- Afrika seems fairly quite and you could start here without many nasty shocks

- Alternatively you could just throw yourself into the deep end in Chin - Its not so much the obvious Nation States you have to worry about its the Hongs, Boxers, Triads, etc. Possible exception being the happy hymn singing Cossack hordes of the Czar who seem to be massing in the north.

- Think the Orient is a mid way point between the uncivilized wilds of Africa and getting a Italian Treaty Port in Chin. But might be worth having a really close look (with Agents etc) and some of the NPC's before you send in the Army Italia.........you know the bit in the rules which says Natives armed with Spears or Jezzail? Well in some places this may not be 100% correct anymore.

PS Other tip from the Emperor of Nippon.........If you look at a territory and its already got railway lines and cricket pitches this may be a clue! Some people get very upset and unreasonable if your Cavalry trample all over their cricket pitch on a length. Also to be avoided are Nuns, anyone called Fu-Manchu, a German Gentleman with a Tuba and picking a fight with any ship flying a White Ensign or a Imperial Double headed Eagle.

Prunesquallor wrote:All,

I just started playing and have taken command of the great empire of Italia I'm completely new to the game so would appreciate if someone could catch me up on what Italia has been up to and would also welcome any other beginner tips to help me avoid complete ruination for at least a couple of turns.

Thank you!

Keep our banner hight mate!

good luck

Thank you very much, Stuart.  That is very helpful in providing me with some context.  I've started going back and reading the papers but, as you said, it's hard to know how what's what.  Much to chew on.  I've also been reading through the rules and if you don't mind me asking a couple of additional questions about the mechanics of the game:

1 - I can see how having certain characters in the home country is beneficial but what about military units.  Any reason to keep any in the home country?
2 - What factors determine the domestic, colonial, corporation, and tax revenue (other than what I assume is the obvious one that more colonial territories would give more colonial tax)?
3 - I'm assuming investing in trade from the treasury is optional and not required to get at least some trade tax each turn?
4 - Any rules of thumb for determining how much to invest in trade and where?
5 - Is there a list of all the nations and companies currently being played?

I'm getting the sense that not every question in this game can be answered with certainty and there's a fair amount of unpredictability (which is great) but I'm just trying to get the basics down.

Thank you!

Thank you, Nexus06.  The banter will be aimed high and generously seasoned with braggadoccio, as we say in the great nation of Italia  Speaking of, given your location, how are you not playing Italia??

Prunesquallor wrote:Thank you very much, Stuart.  That is very helpful in providing me with some context.  I've started going back and reading the papers but, as you said, it's hard to know how what's what.  Much to chew on.  I've also been reading through the rules and if you don't mind me asking a couple of additional questions about the mechanics of the game:

1 - I can see how having certain characters in the home country is beneficial but what about military units.  Any reason to keep any in the home country?
2 - What factors determine the domestic, colonial, corporation, and tax revenue (other than what I assume is the obvious one that more colonial territories would give more colonial tax)?
3 - I'm assuming investing in trade from the treasury is optional and not required to get at least some trade tax each turn?
4 - Any rules of thumb for determining how much to invest in trade and where?
5 - Is there a list of all the nations and companies currently being played?

I'm getting the sense that not every question in this game can be answered with certainty and there's a fair amount of unpredictability (which is great) but I'm just trying to get the basics down.

Thank you!

In reply to your questions my answer would be:

1) Some units in your home country can be very handy if you think you could be a target for hostile Agitators, Rebels or Agents gong in for Sabotage. Just to be on the safe side what most players seem to do is have a Politician Character in their Home Country and have hime spend some money on setting up a Police Force and perhaps a internal intilligence service like MI6, the FBI or the KGB then have a couple of Military Units (like the Italian Royal Guard) as back up.

Too date we have only have had a fair amount of in name sabotage and theft of blue prints but only one major revolt in a home country - The revolt of the Bavarian "Reds" in Germania. But the impression I have got is that some problems with Italian Republicans or Sicilian Seperatists need to be ended quickly because if allowed time to fester they will grow........and guess who is going to get the blame when the barricades start to go up in Milan.

The other advantage is how are you going to stage a Victory Parade and events like this with the King & Queen taking the salute if you have no units at home?

2) Do not forget that you need a Governor to collect tax from colonies while a Director of Trade will help trade income. Also If you have an Engineer build railways, roads, telegraph lines or Canals this will improve both your tax and trade income.

Corporation tax is an odd one in that you only get it if you have an Italian Trade Company or one which moves its HQ to your territory. Now getting 10% of the income of a trade company may seem like money for old rope but Trade Companies can be a mixed blassing......just ask Lord Derby. The good ones like the Tea Cartel and the Hon East India Company are a joy and his largest tax payers.
The bad ones like the Opium Cartel (also known as the Albion Corporation) are a disaster waiting to happen.

Do not forget that you are expected to protect such Traders and also Churches. Though many people would probably claim that its not the British Trade Houses like the Opium Cartel, Tea Cartel and the HEIC who need the protection so much as the rest of the world from them.

3 & 4) Investing in Trade is purely optional & it generally helps improve trade income if you have colonies in the area being traded with plus improvements like railways. It should be noted that trade income and control of railways is the whole "point of the game" for some people, who are basically playing a game of "Railway Rivals" with extra options to sabotage and damage rivals.

5) No such information but reading the paper should give a rough idea of who is active. If you are wondering why so many Brits that is because you have British Govt plus three British Trade Companies active. If the co-operated they could dominate the game but we are talking some serious bad blood and dirty tricks here. Germania and Nippon very active, so is Russia but not making as much noise but on a fairly regular basis suddenly another "R" shows up on map. Real problem is not the ones in the one open with flags in the map. Its the hidden ones like Global, Fu-Manchu and the Opium Cartel.

Welcome to Scramble... It is a very enjoyable game to be certain. Stuart provided a very excellent brief. Her Majesty's Government looks forward to meeting with our Italian friends.

Thank you again Stuart.  I think I have enough information now to get going. And tank you as well for the welcome, Revvaughan.  Italia sends its regards to HMG and we look forward to meeting as well.

Prunesquallor wrote:Thank you, Nexus06.  The banter will be aimed high and generously seasoned with braggadoccio, as we say in the great nation of Italia  Speaking of, given your location, how are you not playing Italia??

I really do not have a proper answer here...

I've started years ago playing tGoK as the pope, since an old friend was playing Tuscany and my hometown was located in the papacy. I've enjoyed the game but less the position. We tried to rally up a team position in italy, but savoy and venice were uncooperative, and i've come up with the idea that a unified italy in tGoK is an impossible task. I've came back later, almost 5 years ago, but asked Richard for Russia, with i was interested into.

I do not know scramble, so i've missed the opportunity i think!

Keep me updated and let me know if you need some territorial or cultural info

good luck again

I would say Nexus06 is an excellent Czar   but I think he's right, a united independent Italy in Glory games is all but impossible.

Do enjoy Italia in Scramble, I seem to recall they were quite keen on airships in the past...and from what I've read they are about the only power who haven't incurred the wrath of Doctor Fu Manchu...

Jason2 wrote:I would say Nexus06 is an excellent Czar   but I think he's right, a united independent Italy in Glory games is all but impossible.

Do enjoy Italia in Scramble, I seem to recall they were quite keen on airships in the past...and from what I've read they are about the only power who haven't incurred the wrath of Doctor Fu Manchu...

Hah! Is this evidence that Dr Fu Manchu is an Italian Agent?

The evil Dr. is not Italian for sure... He uses potions and such to achieve his ends. I think that the Italians would be rather more direct!

revvaughan wrote:The evil Dr. is not Italian for sure...  He uses potions and such to achieve his ends.  I think that the Italians would be rather more direct!

Don't know.

Daggers are for men

but we do have an history of poisoning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucrezia_Borgia

maybe, lord Fu Machu is actually Lady Fu Manchu

Nexus06 wrote:

revvaughan wrote:The evil Dr. is not Italian for sure...  He uses potions and such to achieve his ends.  I think that the Italians would be rather more direct!

Don't know.

Daggers are for men

but we do have an history of poisoning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucrezia_Borgia

maybe, lord Fu Machu is actually Lady Fu Manchu

Mrs Gabriel Hastings who claimed to be the French born widow of a English Officier slipped the now Chairman of the HEIC a mickey fin so she could pinch his keys, blackjacked one of his guards and broke a hostile agent out of his wine celler (dont ask) then VANISHED.

Poor Lord Hardinge was left totally heart broken, with a terrible hang over and unable to get into his wine celler.  Which you have to agree is a terrible thing to do to a chap!  Even if the missing keys did eventually show up.

In revenge let it be known that Lord Hardinge the then Director-General of the HEIC owned 3% of company and started paying dividends every six months.  Dividend payments now around £120M every six months.  

With 3% of £240m per annum going to Lord Hardinge plus thirty million in property it is hoped that Gabby reads the FT and kicks herself for spurning Lord Hardinge even if has has now only got one foot after being shot and had to retire for health reasons.

One wonders if Gabriel Hastings has gone rogue or has taken too many of her own potions?

Fortunately, Lord Hardinge broken heart was nursed back to health by a friend of Sir Harry Flashman (Dec'd) known as the "Silk One" or Queen Yehonala of Transoxania who has not been known to use poison on anyone.  But sometimes goes in for cross dressing and bowls left arm spin.

With apologies for interrupting the chit-chat, I was looking through my state papers and had another question.  I understand I can raise a certain number of units for each of my provinces.  However, it's not clear which are my provinces.  I have information in my papers on several provinces but only a couple have an "I" symbol on the map.  Are the latter my provinces?

Thank you!

Prunesquallor wrote:With apologies for interrupting the chit-chat, I was looking through my state papers and had another question.  I understand I can raise a certain number of units for each of my provinces.  However, it's not clear which are my provinces.  I have information in my papers on several provinces but only a couple have an "I" symbol on the map.  Are the latter my provinces?

Thank you!

In a word "yes"

The points to note are:

1) It needs to be a governed province (one controlled by a Governor Character......Provinces controlled by said Governor should be listed against character) and you need a General or Admiral Character to order the units raise, for ships you also need a Port in the Province.

2) Lost or disbanded Home Country Units can be replaced up to the limit shown on your sheet. So if you have lost or disbanded units and have say 43 Home Units compared to upper limit of 50 you can raise another 7.

3) Unlike Home Country Units Colonial Units can only be raised once so if you have say 4 units from the Italian Colony of Eritrea you may be able to raise another 2 but more likely the missing two have been lost........Ask the GM and either you can raise 2 more units or more
likely you will need to be considering revenge.

4) Your list may show units from ex Italian colonies you no longer control. Because they have been lost to another Colonial Power or revolt. In such circumstances you do not lose control of the units but they may be keen to reclaim their home area or exposed to a greater risk of desertion.

As a rule of thumb land units involved in combat or marching in rough terrain tend to take damage to their their condition and/or cohesion while their morale foes up or down depending on the result of combat. If planning to campaign in arid or mountains it is recommended to Acclimatise troops......might be a bit of a bore when you want to be off at at them but it will save time in the long run. Also it is easier to "recover" a unit via rest etc rather than build a new unit so try and keep badly damaged units out of combat.

In days of modern rifles you may wonder what use is Cavalry? And do I actually need any? Main use aside from scouting actually seems to be in the persuit and finishing off broken units so they do not get a chance to recover and fight again.

The same consideration which apply to land units also apply to Naval Units as only more so. If ships take damage the seem to be more likely to be a total loss than land units so you may wish to avoid colonial naval units you can not replace if they sink in a storm or as a result of one poxy torpedo hit in the wrong place.

The HEIC does not have this luxury but what some players seem to have done is disband some or all Home Cavalry units allowing them to raise more Ships or modern artillery. Then replace the Home Cavalry with colonial units like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who get used to round up trouble makers shattered by British Artilley and Rifle fire.

Hope the above gives you something to mull over.

Stuart

Thank you, Stuart. Extremely helpful as always!

Another question now that I have my first turn report. I was attempting to raise 3 units from a province that should allow me 6 units (and from which I had only 3 units). However, I was not able to raise 3 units with an indication on the report that 2 units may have been lost at some point in the past. Does that mean that if you lose a unit, you will never be able to raise another unit from that province to replace it, or is the max number of units you can raise from a province an annual limit? Thank you!

Max number is the max that you will raise form it. If you take one that I have raised six in you can likewise raise six. It is a mechanism that should make us desire to take territory.

Thank you, revvaughan. That is an intriguing mechanic. Not only does it incentivize expansion but it makes the loss of units a big deal. Is this the case for the home territory units as well?

Prunesquallor wrote:Thank you, revvaughan.  That is an intriguing mechanic.  Not only does it incentivize expansion but it makes the loss of units a big deal.  Is this the case for the home territory units as well?

Ref Home Country Units, these can be replaced.

Your list should show the Max number of Home Country Units and the number of units you have.

If the number of units you have is less than the max you can raise any type of home country unit to make up numbers.

But rising and giving extra drill and the like to new units does take a lot of time so its generally better to try and preserve units rather than fight to the last man standing.

While you may be able to guess what you are likely to be up against it is normally recommended that you send an agent to have a look first since not all colonial forces are the same. Geography, fortifications, flags and cricket pitches can also be of importance.

Thanks, Stuart. That is a good point as well. I think any loss in this game (or Glory) is significant given the investment of time required for any meaningful action. Good to know that the home country units are at least replaceable should the unthinkable occur

Prunesquallor wrote:Thanks, Stuart.  That is a good point as well.  I think any loss in this game (or Glory) is significant given the investment of time required for any meaningful action.  Good to know that the home country units are at least replaceable should the unthinkable occur

Glory is more about units and unless you are going to start building 120 Gun Sail of the Line, it is quicker to raise new units in Glori than Scabble.

In Scabble the emphasis is much more on "Characters" rather than Units......you can have the largest and most modern Navy or Army in the game but if your Admiral or General is found floating face down in the docks and unable to issue orders then your Navy or Army is not going anywhere or doing anything! So you might want a spare General and perhaps even a spare Admiral.

Many players are perfectly happy to play without any Army/Navy units flying their flag at all, viewing them as of no more value than "targets". Mind you we still do not know which units of the Chin Army have their No1 loyalty to a) The Emperor b) The Opium Cartel or c) Dr Fu-Manchu and the Boxer's.

Indeed for quite some time in the game more territory had been gained by Diplomacy than by Armies. I may be wrong but I suspect a built in game bias which favour's the Diplomacy of small powers and works against the larger and more military powers.

Also if you diplomat ends up insulted, feed to wild animals or throw into a prison cell you have the perfect reason to invade a place.

Loss of units and characters in Scabble is not at all "unthinkable"..........Very likely to probable would be my view. So far the HEIC has lost a diplomat (shot then victim of failed kidnap attempt) an admiral (heat stroke) and retired a Governor (suspect had been nobbled) and a politician (minus various bits!!). Others seem to have lost rather more agents and commercial directors.

Oddly total losses of Admirals and ships seem to be more common than losses of Generals (who tend to get wounded) and Army Units.

Air ships and Submarines in particular seem to be death traps for characters and unit numbers.

Oh but it would be unthinkable for Italia and her mothers Unthinkable but, as you say, very probable. Thank you for the additional perspective on units and characters. Very useful!

I have to say I'm enjoying Scramble very much though I've just gotten my first real turn result back. The letter writing and reading can be very entertaining

Britannic Times for Dec 1861 has shown up (odd since we had Dec 1861 last turn as well – sure it should be Jan 1862?) and for non scabble players here are the highlights with additional notes by the Italian Security Service for their new boss:

1) “Civilians” loitering about the Albion House HQ of the Opium Cartel noticed that it was also being observed by a bunch of Chinese men who were trying to creep about unobserved by keeping to the shadows. Not an easy task when you are Chinese and in the middle of London and lead by a tall lean cove who had brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan.

It was noticed by all that the HQ of the Opium Cartel/Albion Corporation/Farnworth Mob or whatever you want to call them was a hive of activity in the night. Probably a reflection of the favoured business hours of most of the people Lord Farnworth does business with.

ISS - When you observe you are also observed! Relations between the British Government Int Services, the Opium Cartel and Si-Fan Boxers are best viewed as a “hate triangle” best to stay out of it unless you want to have all sides picking on you. These are not nice people!

2) While boarding a merchant ship (The Morning Star) to take them to Tsing Tao a group of Chinese men who may or may not have been the same bunch mentioned above were stopped by police. On finding out that these Chinese men had never worked in the London Dockland Restaurant (recently shown to have been a front for money laundering) they were let go to continue their trip.

ISS – Lord Derby may not be happy about the lack of imagination and further investigation by PC Plod. One wonders if the good ship Morning Star will make it to Tsing Tao or will it fall victim to “Sea monsters”

3) Some domestic stuff happening in darkest Somerset.

ISS - ??????? Its Somerset enough said. The ISS refuse to operate in the “Heart of Darkness” between Bristol and the Devon Border.

4) Gov General Kurt Gruger and a battalion of German Infantry were also making their way to Tsing Tao when their ship developed a leak and had to put into Port Said for emergency repairs.

While in Tsing-Tao itself Bismarck is still feeling unwell but is slowly getting better.

ISS – No we do not know why German shipbuilding is so poor in Scabble. Tsing Tao is a German Colony/Treaty Port so Kurt and a bunch of armed Germans may have a totally normal reason for going there. The ISS could send an agent to find out what is happening in Tsing but probably one we do not care about.

5) India – A British fleet under Admiral Alfred Cahill of two Iron Clads, three Cruisers, five gunboats and six transports sailed into Bombay. While in Jaipiur Sir Henry Lawrence Gov of Bengal (HEIC) laid a foundation stone for the Tata Steel Rolling Mill which will even have its own works cricket club.

ISS – The HEIC is a relic of the past and in theory the HEIC, its private colonial militia and men like Sir Henry Lawrence should have no place in the modern world of Nation States and Modern Companies. The same can also said about Crocodiles and Cockroaches but like the Hon East India Company they are still with us.

Lord Derby is known to like the HEIC because they pay lots of tax, supply much equipment to the Britannic forces and a large chunk of his Tory Party are HEIC shareholders.

Lord Gladstone and the Albion Corporation view this relationship as “corrupt” and think the HEIC should be investigated for unfair trade practices.

6) The Albion Corporation view of HEIC trade practices was no doubt reinforced when the Indian Special Branch tried to arrest its Commercial Director James Cornel for contempt of Court and probably a whole load of other charges in Nagpur. The ISB seem to view Cornel as an armed and dangerous criminal and have to date not tried to force entry into the Cornel residence while James has not come out and surrendered to the armed and no doubt nervous and trigger happy ISB men.

ISS – Have you seen the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sun Dance kid?

7) Amerika South – The Albion Prospecting Company has concluded that no more undiscovered minerals are to be found in the CSA.

ISS – The CSA has remained free of the USA by bowing to huge military pressure from Britannia and Austria and even larger sums of cash from Britannia to free its slaves, stop slave trading and allow Britannic merchants free reign in the America’s.

For the USA to take to take back the southern states would probably involve a blockade of Southern Ports like New Orleans. Which would really upset Lady and Lord Thomas Weatherbee (Head of Tea Cartel) should they wish to visit the in-laws.

Lavaca – Prince Gaia Dmitrievich Iszhishkian and his trusty side kick Sancho Panza made it to the McGill ranch after their recent brush with outlaws. It was here that Russian Cossack horsemen found the Czar’s missing envoy.

ISS – Getting kidnapped and held for ransom is an occupational hazard for diplomatic folk but no doubt Old Abe and his gang are now in a little black book some where in the Kremlin.

Oddly some of the Cossacks were wearing Texas style hats and buckskins. Could this be the start of a new Cossack Host?

Korea/Siberia – The building of a new Cossack Host (The Siberian) is clearly what the Russians are doing in the far east. In Vladivostock some of their officers are moaning about lack of the facilities they are used too on the Don and the Kuban. While in Pusan General Brusilov is trying to explain Russian Cavalry practices to his new recruits.

ISS – According to Brusilov and we have no reason to doubt him Russian Cavalry are now a mix of Cossack Lancers and Dragoons. With additional fire support is provided by Horse Artillery and Tachanka – Machine guns mounted on fast sprung buggy-style carts. Doubt if Russian Cavalry theory and practice is much use or interest to Italia. But if you count up the number of provinces in “Siberia” and times by six or three you get some idea of the potential of the new Siberian Host if Brusilov ever gets up steam and it starts to roll again.

9) Only actual military action this month was in Chitral were General Sir John Nicholson probed the rebel positions. The rebel Alexandrians holding positions around the city of Shangra-La were greatly encouraged (improved morale?) by what they considered to be the “rout” of HEIC. Probably not a view the 1st Battalion of the Transoxania Royal Guard who are reported as falling back in good order.

ISS – One view is that the HEIC have wasted a month, alerted the defenders and improved their foes morale. On the other hand the HEIC now know were their foe’s are and what they are armed with (Jazzails). A dashing surprize attack or just a simple attack order this month would probably have been a better order than a “probe” but if the foe had dug in machine guns your “dashing” cavalry charge can end up looking “rash” . Basically all orders have their pro’s and cons – think rock, paper, etc.

.