Advanced Guide

Did any one download a copy of this as I lost mine whrn my hard drive went dead? If so let me know please....

I will have to hunt... Perhaps I did so!

cheers

I believe that i have it on paper somewhere.I could post it to you if needed.
Trying to think where i got it from now? I am thinking that i got it via flagship? from Terry. Does that sound right?

yes

will pm you my adress unless you can scan it and email it to me?

I have the text here:


Advanced Guide

Ok so your nation appears to rolling along now for the first year, what can you do to make things better?

Right let’s look at Trade and the Economy.
Trade works like this, the higher the economy score the less recruits you get, reflecting a successful work practice, that is more people are employed, a low score means more recruits but less income . So it needs to be a balance of the two. First thing is to research your nation see what it can produce historically and then see what can be mined, grown, or made from raw materials.
Most nations will be able to mine some thing, from iron ore to silver and a few lucky ones gold. Diamonds are also a possibility as is coal and salt plus whatever else your prospectors find. Prospectors are sent out and cost to do so. You need to instruct them where to look and what for. Saying look for gold is not going to work, hence research pays off.. So what if you have nothing to mine? What about importing raw materials and making goods to sell on? Goods like raw timber and turn it into furniture etc. How about using spare corn and turning it into vodka or snaps, wool into clothing, etc.? The list goes on; of course to get the sales you need trade missions. Now most players will scatter them willy-nilly around the globe. A good player uses the 12 missions he has a year and plans area by area. No good investing in East Europe if all your missions are in mainland Europe or Asia is it?
Next see what you can import or grow or even use from other nations, they may have raw materials but no market for them, you may have a market if you can produce a finished good from their raw materials.
Use the Economic Report that Agema puts out at the beginning of each year to see who is doing what and who has the money! It is an invaluable guide as to where to invest, cultivate other nation’s friendships to get exclusive deals and rights to say Tea or silk.
Send out recruiting parties to all the countries that you think do not have a recruiting ban and try and recruit more recruits for your trade and armed forces. Be careful some may allow recruiting but ask local town watches/magistrates to detain your men until they have word from the ruler of the country that it is ok, this can lead to diplomatic rows and confiscation of the recruiting bounty from your men!
Also the more you spend on Government Spending the more military actions you can do. The enemy may be bigger but if you have an alliance then together you have more actions to use, some wars can be won by grinding the enemies economy down as he tries to keep hundreds of units active and supplied.
Do not forget that when you invest in a new trade venture or item that it will cost minimum £10,000 and 1000 recruits. So always invest in this manner, unless you are mega rich like some of the bigger powers they can simply invest large amounts of money and forget about recruits unless it is a new venture. This is why recruits are in such big demand in the game and places Like Russia and France and Asia have big recruit bases to use, if you need more ask a country if they will sell you some for a fixed price of so many pounds per head.
Tip: excess harvest crop can be used to help the drink industry, that is used to brew Snaps, vodka or whiskey, not only given to farmers to help production next year.
Tip: Ban recruiting, it stops your pool of recruits being stolen by recruiting parties, but it also damages your economy, however if you are a large country like Russia then it will not really affect you, the choice is yours!


Honour system
The honour system is explained pretty well in the game, how it controls fleets, armies etc. But you may not know how to increase yours or why it increased then went down again the next month!
You must play your country as it was, Russia must modernise, Prussia is militaristic, Portugal and Spain be colonial, England rules the waves etc. These are the basic bits other things like balls, building things, winning battles, getting more territory, marriage all add to it. Experiment and see what happens when you do certain things. Remember just because some one is top of “The most admired in society” will not mean they are the most powerful, it simply means every one else looks up to them, or in Pirates how much fear they cause by their actions. The more honour the more units you control and move.
You also get personal wealth from your honour, this you can use for what ever to as a personal gift from you, a nice touch and bound to get an honour point!

Spies!!
One of the most underused, undervalued and underestimated bits in the game. Most players use spies like a butcher uses a meat cleaver, no skill, brute force! Spies are like brain surgeons, they need to be placed carefully, allowed to blend in and establish them selves and cultivate friendships before being used. It is no good getting a spy in April then asking him in June to blow up a magazine, he needs to recon the magazine, for guards, access and a whole host of possibilities. Be creative in where you place them, most just dump them in the government and ask them to supply information. Think how government works and all the departments are interlocked who would require access to what information within the government. Do not limit it to Government, armed forces, naval commanders; bribes etc are all other good places to act. In one game a player could not understand why his cavalry commander refused to obey his orders and charge; he stated that it was not the right time to attack. Turned out the commander was a paid agent for the power he was supposed to attack!
Spies do not actually have to spy, they can spread dissent and false rumours, and I remember one that hinted that a certain ruler (male) was having a relationship with one of his ministers, his honour went down for a month or two till it was proved otherwise!
There is a whole host of possibilities out there and remember not just to use them against present enemies but possible future ones as well, as we all know today’s allies can be tomorrows enemy!
To protect against spies is never going to be 100% but you can limit what they can achieve. Grills on government buildings will stop break-ins, as will regular Town watch patrols and ensuring that the Watch (always have 2 in the capital) has dogs. The dogs will be able to follow a trail from a break in. Watch your administration staff; are they or some spending too much money living above their income? I had case where this was reported, it turned out they were simply skimming money off for them selves, if I had not been watching they would have taken hundreds of thousands over time, that I could have used. Put safe guards in place so that no one can do certain actions unless it is authorised by you or a combination of ministers. Have ministers watched. have an agent pretend to be dissatisfied and see if any attempt to bribe him takes place.
Tip: Spies can only be recruited in the May turn!


Armed Forces
Your armed forces are the protectors and defenders of your state, they are also the means to get new territory, and assist your allies in times of war. First ensure that you have the right mix of cavalry, artillery and infantry too much of one will lead to disaster in battle but not enough you are under powered to continue.
Siege artillery is needed to batter walls/defences down so troops can assault the city, normal field artillery cannot do this. So any attack on a fortified city requires a good few SA units. Cavalry are required to scout, escort and stop enemy cavalry attacking your infantry, Cossacks/dragoons do this role, whereas cuirassiers or Horse are designed for charging on the battlefield and would prove useless in any thing else. Infantry are elite, ordinary or tribal foot, each has its own benefits. Tribal Foot (TF) are very good in mountains and street fighting, normal infantry are ok at best for street fighting, elite are best used in holding the line as they are made of better stuff and are cooler under fire. However by training troops to a better standard (takes 6 months to the first level, another 6 for the top level) these are drilled to fire more shots per minute, react faster etc. Pay attention to movement rates it no good clubbing all the cavalry and infantry together as the cavalry will move only as fast as the infantry. Guns need to be escorted so use cavalry, Dragoons or Cossacks to do this enough to provide escort. Have the cavalry separate and protecting the flanks as the infantry march and scouting ahead, the Horse can follow behind or slightly ahead of the infantry, choice is yours. Remember to give all your armies no matter how small some sort of commander to order them about. Some countries will excel at cavalry, others foot. For instance Russia has literally thousands of Cossacks to call on while most of the German states will have either very good foot or cavalry. Infantry can be taught to fire in different ways, this is where military missions from, England. Prussia or Holland come in, try and get one from these countries.

The Navy is a separate issue some countries are land locked so do not have any, others are not and are very good (England for example) England, France, UDP and Venice can build or train elite ships, no one else can, so again try and get one from these countries. Again most players tend to clump all theirs ships into one group, but again you need to have some sort of order about it. A battle fleet should consist of ship of the line (SOL) and frigates (FRG) either heavy or great or just FRG. The SOL take on the enemy SOL while the FRG(heavy or great or FRG) should be used to harry the enemy SOL, take enemy ships captive or finish off the wounded so to speak. For this reason battle fleets need a suitable commander of flag rank, usually an admiral and the FRG contingent needs a Captain or a commodore who can act independently in battle. Smaller fleets need only a captain nominated or a commodore choice is yours. Like land armies fleets can be made up to work for different battles, ketches escorted by either FRG or corvettes, transports and a cruiser(East Indiamen) are good as escorts or on their own as transports due to being fitted with cannons. Suitable cruisers or smaller warships can be used as scouts ahead of the fleet or for recon of enemy coast lines.
You can also add jolly boats or Marines to ships of certain types to help; the marines can assist in battle by shooting enemy officers and commanders. Again make sure you train them and have a plan for the battle ahead.

When thinking of going to war, have a plan and ensure you plan well ahead a knee jerk reaction to being attacked will cause failures and poor results, this is where placing them and making sure they have magazines, fortresses and army camps to build new troops all come in. This is called forward planning, and I cannot stress that you do this enough; an enemy can walk right over your country if the defences are not there regardless of how many troops you have! Plan a ring of fortresses with garrisons of at least 5 units if you can this will hold up any advance as they cannot leave it behind them especially if it has an army base to make units or even has some cavalry in it.


Diplomacy
Another crucial part of the game, making sure ones neighbours are on good terms with you can be a very good idea, otherwise they may tend to get ideas about the land next to them and who should own it! I stated in the beginners guide that you should write to them and get to know them, by now you should have a rapport with them and be able to broach the topic of mutual defence treaties or trade treaties etc. If you are in the middle of Europe you definitely want your neighbours on your side and especially some of the bigger nations. By wining and dining, visiting, building some thing for them or just being there when they need a hand will build up good relationships, which if you are invaded will be of use as they come to your aid. Look at your neighbours who is the biggest threat and who can you get to offset him? Poland has Prussia sitting on its borders it also has Russia nearby who may want a part of it, so who do they play up to? Well Prussia would make a good ally against Russia so would the Swedes and Denmark, not as big as Russia BUT together they are a powerful force and could make Russia think again about attacking Poland. By paying court to these countries with special rates for trade inviting them into Mutual defence Treaties (MDT) Poland can relax a bit and not worry about Russia. Alternatively Poland could opt to get Russia to sign a Non Aggression Treaty (NAT), this would ensure that if Russia did attack then while the treaty was in force it would a) damage their honour b) show them in poor light and get diplomatic pressure on them to stop.
When making a treaty, think about the wording and phrasing, just stating that” We the undersigned will not attack each other” is not enough. You need conditions and terms, like how long the treaty will last for, what happens if one breaks it, exceptions to the treaty(if another treaty is in existence that forces you to attack them because they declared war on an ally of theirs). If an MDT then how many troops do you send, your whole army and navy or just a small force? Do you only provide finical aid or military or even just diplomatic aid? When do you decide the war is over and who has the power to call a peace?
Treaties that cover trade should also be carefully worded as these can give your so called trade partner an advantage, ensure that you are both getting a good deal and set a time limit on it and ensure that if tax rates are to be harmonised that it appears in the press that he is doing this other wise you do it all and he casually forgets and gets a better deal than you!
Remember trade covers the globe not just around you look afar for trade and opportunities, there are many to be had.
When you send your ambassadors out ensure they have some sort of character, as this not only makes the game more enjoyable but gives diplomatic relations more meaning, the ambassador may well know more about the situation in the host country than is available in the press. Never harm an ambassador it will lead to war, kick him out yes or set up a set of rules that all ambassadors must follow for instance: If they kill, rape or spy they will be dealt with by your country, if they commit crimes, steal, cheat or any thing else you can kick them out or request a replacement from their country.
Lastly make your ambassadors colourful, I am sure some will remember the Venetian ambassador to France from Game 4 a certain Alfredo del Gordini, a very flamboyant character who was arrested by the French player who then regretted it as Gordini had the turnkeys (jailors) as his servants, people visiting to see him and eventually wrote a book about his “Trial in a French Prison” a best seller!
Tip: When negotiating treaties ensure it is fair to both and that you are aware when the treaty ends, no good crying after he has invaded you when you thought the treaty was still in effect, get on the case when the treaty is in its last 12 months to get a renewal.

What should I build?
Well any thing and every thing I would say! Build academies for each particular field to research advances. Build sewers and do not forget to put grills on them to stop the enemy sneaking in when the city is under siege. Build goals, to keep prisoners and spies in, Palaces, gardens, fountains and cathedrals and churches. You can look up on the internet what city/town has what in it and add them. There are lots to build to not only enhance the country/city/town but your reputation as well. Granaries, fortresses, ports, warehouse etc. You can build a new town, very expensive and takes 2 years, but worth it if you can get a city going in some remote colony, to help trade and defence.
Fancy stuff like manors, light and clock towers, museums are also there just think what you would build if you wanted to create a modern city and show the world the wonders of (enter your countries name here!) Stud farms, government offices, theatres and various others will all go down well with the nobility. Hospitals can be for the poor, nobility or the veterans of the army you decide.
I would look around your country and see where these are needed and then build them according to needs.

How do I control my Ministers?
Well the GM does this you can ask them for advice any time, hold a cabinet meeting and ask them what can be done about anything. Of course they will all have different views it is up to you to decide whose advice to follow. The trick is to decide on what to do follow them or do it you’re self, you may be given some advice never thought of before or a problem may be put forward by one. Use your Foreign Minister to travel the world building up trade and treaties or just keeping on good terms with others.
Ministers can be a boon and a dead weight, knowing when to listen to them and when to ignore them takes practice!
I always have one minister who can make people feel uncomfortable and use him to cover any ambassadors who annoy me, you can have real fun with them, but remember when asking for advice it is the GM answering!




I joined game already going on what happens now?
Hopefully the GM will give you a full run down of the situation, he may even warn you before hand that the country you want to play is at war and losing/winning!
This is the scenario where most players will find them selves, as stated in the Beginners Guide your honour score will be different, it may be sky high or rock bottom, your economy score may also be the same. First thing to do is to read the paper, look through your turn sheets , see what info and Intel is available, there may be ministers, spies, commanders, ambassadors already. What is the economy like, what strength is the recruit pool like? From here you can plan a course of action, if at war see how bad or good you are doing. Was the war caused by a MDT? He invaded you or you invaded him. Is it over a matter of honour/trade misunderstanding, most players once they realise that a new guy is in town will try and mediate others may not. See if you can sort the mess out should be your first priority, if all else fails get allies and counter attack some. Tip: all forces work on the honour score the higher it is the more units/forces you can control, so see if you can batter his honour score by making statements in the press offering peace and branding him a warmonger when he refuses it. Any thing like that will start to cause it to fall and eventually he needs to stop. Another way is to hit him in the pocket, attack his trade, steal trade agreements from him, spread rumours the list is endless.
However if not at war lets see what the nation looks like see what you can do and then decide what your goals are. If you are in it for the long run then set your self a 5 year plan and stick to it, as much as you can. Arrange MDT and NAT around you then build up your economy and armed forces over time. Hire units as well, this means they can be got rid of when not needed later on, of course you need to find a country willing to hire them out, Switzerland hires out very good troops, but they cost, but there again there are good quality ones.
Of course joining a country already played does have some upsides, there may be loads of cash in the treasury, there may not, the recruit pool may be over flowing with men. It may be that the country may have not been played for some time in which case the above should be pretty full!

Major Positions
Ok these fall into medium, major and huge!

Huge:
England, remember England was a major power with many over seas possessions, thus you have a real hard time of looking out for your colonies etc. I played England once, very hard and very complex, I only really know one player (game 3) who has successfully handled this position and has since nearly day one (it is now 1733!)

Major:
Imperial Russia, a large position with lots of potential and resources. Get it right and you will not have to worry about money or recruits as long as you keep investing and expanding in the right areas. Get it wrong and you have the Ottomans to the south and Sweden and Prussia to worry about!

France, A large European power with colonies abroad only slightly less work than England, however France is more concerned with its home territory and occasionally its colonies.

Austria-Hungary, the big-wig of the Germanic states. A lot rests on this state keeping the rest of them under control, no navy to speak of, but a large army and economy if handled right, the only worry here is the succession at the start of the game (1700) and Prussia getting grand ideas about being in charge!

Ottomans, a large position that requires skilful diplomacy to handle but when played correctly is a major headache for the Christian nations in the west and Russia. However those pesky Ottoman troops keep resisting change and can also lead a rebellion if not handled correctly.

Spain, ah the mighty Spain with its galleons and bullion convoys. Yes it can be very good playing Spain (once the succession is tied up in the early part of the game) However you have numerous colonies and those pesky pirates (Black beard to name one!) will want to take you hard earned bullion and raid your shipping and colonies. This can be a drain on your resources, there is also the case as fighting the heathens, sorry the Ottomans, the Moors, etc. Spain also has Portugal to contend to, with them also being an overseas developer and plus they may want to do their own thing, Spain has to show them the error of their ways!

Medium

Holland or the UDP, this is a slightly less powerful state but has potential to be a major power, it has a large fleet and medium army. It has overseas colonies and also like Spain can suffer from pirates. Holland starts the game as part of Spain (read your history books!) so it must break free and do its own thing to become independent and the power it eventually turns out to be.

Sweden, yes Sweden is a medium power, it has the ability to become quite a major power. At the beginning Sweden could give Russia a good thrashing and possibly Denmark and Poland. But Sweden's curse is lack of money. It has no real income or colonies, so if handled right it can dominate the Baltic given time and investment.

There are other positions in Africa , the slave traders of the Ashanti, the Indian lords in India, but all these can be medium positions but rely on the west for help to keep going. They have large recruit bases, but are inferior in troops and have no naval assets.


Bye
Frank

thanks to all who assisted...

Thanks Frank... Saved me from having to type it as I found my paper copy yesterday!

Beautifully written. I once played the pope in game 3 and i agree the english player was fantastic.